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Apparently, I'm Torture: A Spicy Friends to Enemies to Lovers Romantic Comedy
From the author of Apparently, I’m A Bitch comes a new Double Shot rom-com in which a teacher is forced to work on a fundraiser with her ex-co-worker-turned-closest-friend-turned-hated-rival – with risky results.
Lilly Fares is not a people-pleasing pushover. At least, not anymore. Right?
Cue Trevor Atkins: the head teacher of her nightmares. Thanks to his threats to fire Lilly, she can’t help but fold into old, torturous, habits.
To save her dream-job teaching literature, Trevor forces her to take his place in the upcoming Educational Arts Fundraiser, where she runs into long-time frenemy Shawn Jackson.
The Great Shawn Jackson, educational thought leader extraordinaire. Cue melodramatic groan.
Years ago, Shawn made his feelings about Lilly crystal clear, and judging by the icy cold front he’s been emanating, nothing will change despite their close quarters.
But as Lilly struggles to fix her career, and Shawn begins to lend a helping hand, things feel... different.
Lilly and Shawn start *gasp* talking.
Suddenly, things don’t seem as bad as they once did.
Suddenly, Lilly starts enjoying herself.
Suddenly, Lilly can’t take her eyes off of Shawn’s sexy, dimpled smile and muscular forearms.
But when it comes time to prove she’s the teacher she was meant to be, will Shawn be able to handle her particular brand of torture?
Apparently, I’m Torture is a smart, swoony, feel-good romantic comedy based on the awfully vague Is everything always what it seems?
This spicy friends to enemies to lovers romantic comedy is set in contemporary New York City, and is the second book within the Double Shot Duet, but can be read as a standalone.
This full length romance features:
A Happily Ever After
A Swoon-worthy 'I'll sacrifice it all for her' hero
A Nostalgic heroine with anxiety representation
No third act breakup
Teacher x Teacher high stakes workplace conflict
Opposites attract
Found Family
He falls first
Open door, slow burn EARNED spice
Dual first person POV (point of view)
Then vs now timeline
Angst and humor!
If you enjoyed Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, or The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren, you'll love this book!
Lilly Fares is not a people-pleasing pushover. At least, not anymore. Right?
Cue Trevor Atkins: the head teacher of her nightmares. Thanks to his threats to fire Lilly, she can’t help but fold into old, torturous, habits.
To save her dream-job teaching literature, Trevor forces her to take his place in the upcoming Educational Arts Fundraiser, where she runs into long-time frenemy Shawn Jackson.
The Great Shawn Jackson, educational thought leader extraordinaire. Cue melodramatic groan.
Years ago, Shawn made his feelings about Lilly crystal clear, and judging by the icy cold front he’s been emanating, nothing will change despite their close quarters.
But as Lilly struggles to fix her career, and Shawn begins to lend a helping hand, things feel... different.
Lilly and Shawn start *gasp* talking.
Suddenly, things don’t seem as bad as they once did.
Suddenly, Lilly starts enjoying herself.
Suddenly, Lilly can’t take her eyes off of Shawn’s sexy, dimpled smile and muscular forearms.
But when it comes time to prove she’s the teacher she was meant to be, will Shawn be able to handle her particular brand of torture?
Apparently, I’m Torture is a smart, swoony, feel-good romantic comedy based on the awfully vague Is everything always what it seems?
This spicy friends to enemies to lovers romantic comedy is set in contemporary New York City, and is the second book within the Double Shot Duet, but can be read as a standalone.
This full length romance features:
A Happily Ever After
A Swoon-worthy 'I'll sacrifice it all for her' hero
A Nostalgic heroine with anxiety representation
No third act breakup
Teacher x Teacher high stakes workplace conflict
Opposites attract
Found Family
He falls first
Open door, slow burn EARNED spice
Dual first person POV (point of view)
Then vs now timeline
Angst and humor!
If you enjoyed Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, or The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren, you'll love this book!
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 16, 2024
ARC Review: 3.5 ⭐️’s
I really enjoyed the friends to enemies to lovers aspect of this book, it gave to some angst which is always a good thing in my opinion! I liked the dual timeline and felt like everything was revealed at the perfect times, it was fun to see why their relationship fell apart while also watching them rebuild it. The first half of the book was a little slow for me but then it picked up and I really liked the end! Trevor is definitely a snake and he got what he deserved.
Thank you Demi Blaize & Greys Promotions for the arc 🫶🏼
I really enjoyed the friends to enemies to lovers aspect of this book, it gave to some angst which is always a good thing in my opinion! I liked the dual timeline and felt like everything was revealed at the perfect times, it was fun to see why their relationship fell apart while also watching them rebuild it. The first half of the book was a little slow for me but then it picked up and I really liked the end! Trevor is definitely a snake and he got what he deserved.
Thank you Demi Blaize & Greys Promotions for the arc 🫶🏼
April 23, 2024
This is the story Lilly a not so mature teacher and Shawn a sexy ass teacher. They were friends five years ago, then ennemies without Lilly knowing why and of course Lovers. The story takes place between now and five years ago, some chapters are throwbacks to understand how they became ennemies. There is a lot of action, and interesting background story. The book was really well written, unfortunately I just wasn’t hooked. I had to force myself to read , I just couldn’t get immersed.
April 16, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/6.
🌶️🌶️.5/5.
This was my first book by this author so I was excited to give it a go. To be honest when I saw the title, I was convinced. I was intrigued for sure and the title was what I needed to push me to read this.
It took me a bit to get into the story at first. Once I was like “okay, I like where this is going”, I was invested in these characters even though I had a couple “issues” with it.
The timeline, 5 years ago and Now, were confusing at times and I wonder why we had so much of the past. I’m not a fan of that but it sort of worked.
Lily was adorable but her naïveté had no bounds. She is a people pleaser and she lets everyone take advantage of her kind heart and almost bully her. That’s absolutely the opposite of me so maybe you can call it preference but it was hard seeing where the story was going and Lily be so clueless.
I did like her enough to read it till the end but there’s a moment in the story where she stands up for herself but not fully and I’ll get to it later. I think the saving grace was Mia when it came down to this.
Shawn was an *** wherever he saw Lily after they went separate ways 5 years ago. Why? Because he loved her so much then and she had a boyfriend so he didn’t tell her how he felt and bolted. Mind you, they were like best friends.
To me once Shawn made the decision to go to a different school, he was a coward when he didn’t tell Lily his feelings and instead said hurtful things. He just had nothing to lose and instead he decided to tell her it was unbearable to work with her and torture. 🙄
He was a nice guy and I liked him but the little things aren’t forgotten.
I really liked them together. Once they decided to start something, they went all in which I appreciated .
Now Trevor, Lily’s ex and “Boss”, and Stacey are horrible. The fact that it was so obvious what was going on, Shawn never asked questions nor did he find weird certain behavior. All of this when it comes to Stacey.
Trevor showed his colors once Lily broke up with him so no surprise there but the fact that when everything came to an end, Trevor had all the consequences and Stacey, that 2 faced B****, walked away with a slap on the wrist and guess what? Started working with Shawn again. I’m sorry but what now?! She was horrible 5 years ago and she was horrible now. Oh but she was blackmailed. Is that reason enough to be so condescending to Lily and being so rude and just… all the things! Mia was my saving grace honestly. Mia stood up to everyone on Lily’s behalf and she definitely saw the same things I did and so she called Stacey on her bs which I appreciated.
I just don’t get why Lily forgave Stacey and in fact was grateful to her because she saved her career. Stacey shouldn’t have one to begin with. Lily is the type to always see the good in people but there’s a difference between being naive and seeing the best of people and being dumb. Stacey never did or said anything nice to Lily and the ‘saving the career thing’, she was did what was right and mind you, she didn’t did what she did because Lily would lose everything. No no, she did what she did because Shawn decided to take the fall and she wanted to save his career because her career depended on his too. She was awful and she had no consequences whatsoever and I don’t like how all of things concluded.
Tristan and Nikki are so adorable together and I think I need to read their book. Also that title is calling out to me. 🙈
I’m a Mia fan, if that wasn’t obvious before , and I thought her book would be next since we had a little tease but I’m cool with waiting.
All in all this was a good enough read but my “hang ups” ultimately brought the story down for me.
I’m still willing to continue the series and see if I’ll continue later on.
* I read an arc of this book. *
🌶️🌶️.5/5.
This was my first book by this author so I was excited to give it a go. To be honest when I saw the title, I was convinced. I was intrigued for sure and the title was what I needed to push me to read this.
It took me a bit to get into the story at first. Once I was like “okay, I like where this is going”, I was invested in these characters even though I had a couple “issues” with it.
The timeline, 5 years ago and Now, were confusing at times and I wonder why we had so much of the past. I’m not a fan of that but it sort of worked.
Lily was adorable but her naïveté had no bounds. She is a people pleaser and she lets everyone take advantage of her kind heart and almost bully her. That’s absolutely the opposite of me so maybe you can call it preference but it was hard seeing where the story was going and Lily be so clueless.
I did like her enough to read it till the end but there’s a moment in the story where she stands up for herself but not fully and I’ll get to it later. I think the saving grace was Mia when it came down to this.
Shawn was an *** wherever he saw Lily after they went separate ways 5 years ago. Why? Because he loved her so much then and she had a boyfriend so he didn’t tell her how he felt and bolted. Mind you, they were like best friends.
To me once Shawn made the decision to go to a different school, he was a coward when he didn’t tell Lily his feelings and instead said hurtful things. He just had nothing to lose and instead he decided to tell her it was unbearable to work with her and torture. 🙄
He was a nice guy and I liked him but the little things aren’t forgotten.
I really liked them together. Once they decided to start something, they went all in which I appreciated .
Now Trevor, Lily’s ex and “Boss”, and Stacey are horrible. The fact that it was so obvious what was going on, Shawn never asked questions nor did he find weird certain behavior. All of this when it comes to Stacey.
Trevor showed his colors once Lily broke up with him so no surprise there but the fact that when everything came to an end, Trevor had all the consequences and Stacey, that 2 faced B****, walked away with a slap on the wrist and guess what? Started working with Shawn again. I’m sorry but what now?! She was horrible 5 years ago and she was horrible now. Oh but she was blackmailed. Is that reason enough to be so condescending to Lily and being so rude and just… all the things! Mia was my saving grace honestly. Mia stood up to everyone on Lily’s behalf and she definitely saw the same things I did and so she called Stacey on her bs which I appreciated.
I just don’t get why Lily forgave Stacey and in fact was grateful to her because she saved her career. Stacey shouldn’t have one to begin with. Lily is the type to always see the good in people but there’s a difference between being naive and seeing the best of people and being dumb. Stacey never did or said anything nice to Lily and the ‘saving the career thing’, she was did what was right and mind you, she didn’t did what she did because Lily would lose everything. No no, she did what she did because Shawn decided to take the fall and she wanted to save his career because her career depended on his too. She was awful and she had no consequences whatsoever and I don’t like how all of things concluded.
Tristan and Nikki are so adorable together and I think I need to read their book. Also that title is calling out to me. 🙈
I’m a Mia fan, if that wasn’t obvious before , and I thought her book would be next since we had a little tease but I’m cool with waiting.
All in all this was a good enough read but my “hang ups” ultimately brought the story down for me.
I’m still willing to continue the series and see if I’ll continue later on.
* I read an arc of this book. *
April 17, 2024
I really enjoyed Apparently, I'm Torture. It was a much more angsty read than the first book in the series, and I was fully invested in the story of Shawn and Lily, although I have to admit to being frustrated with them a lot, especially Shawn, whose behaviour put him in my bad books for a lot of the book.
Lily and Shawn used to be best friends, but after feeling rejected by Lily, Shawn decided the best way to get over his growing attraction to Lily would be to just turn cruel, end their friendship, and be mean to her. Never realising that she also had feelings for him or that they were both victims of manipulation by Lily's then-boyfriend Trevor. Five years later, they are forced to work together, and the close proximity forces them to do the one thing they should have done years ago - communicate. As secrets and misunderstandings come to light, the two of them work through their issues, but it's not plain sailing as Trevor is still playing games.
Shawn was so stubborn, and honestly, I could have quite happily given him a good shake several times in the book. His behaviour towards Lily came across as petty and childish, all because his feelings were a little hurt. If he'd ever actually communicated with Lily about his feelings, then a lot of hurt could have been avoided on both sides. Lily isn't entirely innocent in this story, though; she's so desperate to please everyone and succeed that she allows people to manipulate her and take advantage, and she's so afraid of tipping the cart that she doesn't voice her feelings to Shawn either, allowing the situation to take over. Luckily, she has friends like Mia who are more than happy to kick up a fuss and stand up for her.
As much as the lack of communication was frustrating, it also made for a delicious amount of tension between the two main characters, and I loved it when Lily finally stood up for herself. There was plenty of drama, twists, and turns in the story, and I was so glad to see them finally break through the control Trevor seemed to wield over them and him get his just desserts.
Lily and Shawn used to be best friends, but after feeling rejected by Lily, Shawn decided the best way to get over his growing attraction to Lily would be to just turn cruel, end their friendship, and be mean to her. Never realising that she also had feelings for him or that they were both victims of manipulation by Lily's then-boyfriend Trevor. Five years later, they are forced to work together, and the close proximity forces them to do the one thing they should have done years ago - communicate. As secrets and misunderstandings come to light, the two of them work through their issues, but it's not plain sailing as Trevor is still playing games.
Shawn was so stubborn, and honestly, I could have quite happily given him a good shake several times in the book. His behaviour towards Lily came across as petty and childish, all because his feelings were a little hurt. If he'd ever actually communicated with Lily about his feelings, then a lot of hurt could have been avoided on both sides. Lily isn't entirely innocent in this story, though; she's so desperate to please everyone and succeed that she allows people to manipulate her and take advantage, and she's so afraid of tipping the cart that she doesn't voice her feelings to Shawn either, allowing the situation to take over. Luckily, she has friends like Mia who are more than happy to kick up a fuss and stand up for her.
As much as the lack of communication was frustrating, it also made for a delicious amount of tension between the two main characters, and I loved it when Lily finally stood up for herself. There was plenty of drama, twists, and turns in the story, and I was so glad to see them finally break through the control Trevor seemed to wield over them and him get his just desserts.
April 25, 2024
I loved Shawn and Lilli. We met them in Book 1,when they were 19. I knew there was a story and I couldn't wait for it.
Shawn and Lili were friends, along the line something changed for Shawn. Lili always fancied him but she wasn't his type. Then Shawn hated that he felt that way and couldn't control his emotions and ended up coming across angry towards her.
5 years later they are both in their dream job but apart. Lili still didn't know what she did for him to be so horrible to her.
The her evil ex now her head teacher has been trying to get rid of her. He put her up for volunteering work over summer to redeem her lack of high score tests in class. Only the person leading this is her ex best friend Shawn.
Over time things mellow and truth are being told. To know they both lost precious 5 years of their love was quite sad.
I loved how Lili never backed down from demanding an answer, if only she knew how much he didn't hate her. I absolutely adored her best friend Mia. She is the best kind of person you want in your corner.
Lili was such a kind soul but so ridden with anxiety. I loved that Shawn still remembered what helps her during those times. He was so cute but so stubborn. We go back and forth to now and 5 years ago to get the whole picture of their relationship and events that led to their separation.
Trevor has given Lili the ultimatum that she either excels at this fundraiser or she loses her dream job. From day one nothing is going right for Lili. It's seems it's just her and no one else with complications. Then a major mishap and all fingers points to Lili. Who is behind it all and why?
Both Lili's and Shawn's career is on the line. Will Shawn choose Lili or his career?
This was a slow burn but my goodness me, the joy I got when they finally found the truth about each other's feelings. The spice was just perfect for them two.
It was great to see Tristan and Nikki again and their little babies.
Great entertainment, funny, Steamy, drama and emotional.
Shawn and Lili were friends, along the line something changed for Shawn. Lili always fancied him but she wasn't his type. Then Shawn hated that he felt that way and couldn't control his emotions and ended up coming across angry towards her.
5 years later they are both in their dream job but apart. Lili still didn't know what she did for him to be so horrible to her.
The her evil ex now her head teacher has been trying to get rid of her. He put her up for volunteering work over summer to redeem her lack of high score tests in class. Only the person leading this is her ex best friend Shawn.
Over time things mellow and truth are being told. To know they both lost precious 5 years of their love was quite sad.
I loved how Lili never backed down from demanding an answer, if only she knew how much he didn't hate her. I absolutely adored her best friend Mia. She is the best kind of person you want in your corner.
Lili was such a kind soul but so ridden with anxiety. I loved that Shawn still remembered what helps her during those times. He was so cute but so stubborn. We go back and forth to now and 5 years ago to get the whole picture of their relationship and events that led to their separation.
Trevor has given Lili the ultimatum that she either excels at this fundraiser or she loses her dream job. From day one nothing is going right for Lili. It's seems it's just her and no one else with complications. Then a major mishap and all fingers points to Lili. Who is behind it all and why?
Both Lili's and Shawn's career is on the line. Will Shawn choose Lili or his career?
This was a slow burn but my goodness me, the joy I got when they finally found the truth about each other's feelings. The spice was just perfect for them two.
It was great to see Tristan and Nikki again and their little babies.
Great entertainment, funny, Steamy, drama and emotional.
April 14, 2024
Thank you to Greys Promotions & Demi Blaize for the opportunity to read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review -
This was the first book I read from Demi Blaize & immediately once I finished this ARC i went out and bought the first book in this "Double Shot Duet" that's how much I loved it.
The dual first person POV AND Then vs. Now timeline was so fun to read. We got to see our main characters Shawn & Lilly's story from both both perspectives & see what happened in the past to that caused them to be the way they are towards each other now. No spoilers as it's not out just yet (i'll update with a more in depth review after the release date) but the way this story has been told was an amazing read. We have Lilly, our sweet people pleasing anxious Lilly, who works through panic attacks, spreading herself too thin while she tries to help everyone other than herself (in the past & current timeline) & Shawn, our tough on the outside but soft on the inside Shawn who pines over Lilly but doesn't do anything about it & lets Lilly out into the world thinking that he hates her (for reasons that'll be explained in the book), that silly, silly man LMAO.
Anywho, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I read it in two sessions over the span of one day because I was obsessed & needed to know how the friends became enemies and then became lovers of course! Genuinely the only thing that dropped this down from a 5 Star read was the miscommunication/misunderstanding between Lilly & Shawn that led them to how they were in the present & that's just a personal preference. Misunderstanding/Miscommunication Tropes give me mad anxiety lol
All in all it was a great read & definitely one that I'd recommend! Time to go back & read the first in the series!
This was the first book I read from Demi Blaize & immediately once I finished this ARC i went out and bought the first book in this "Double Shot Duet" that's how much I loved it.
The dual first person POV AND Then vs. Now timeline was so fun to read. We got to see our main characters Shawn & Lilly's story from both both perspectives & see what happened in the past to that caused them to be the way they are towards each other now. No spoilers as it's not out just yet (i'll update with a more in depth review after the release date) but the way this story has been told was an amazing read. We have Lilly, our sweet people pleasing anxious Lilly, who works through panic attacks, spreading herself too thin while she tries to help everyone other than herself (in the past & current timeline) & Shawn, our tough on the outside but soft on the inside Shawn who pines over Lilly but doesn't do anything about it & lets Lilly out into the world thinking that he hates her (for reasons that'll be explained in the book), that silly, silly man LMAO.
Anywho, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I read it in two sessions over the span of one day because I was obsessed & needed to know how the friends became enemies and then became lovers of course! Genuinely the only thing that dropped this down from a 5 Star read was the miscommunication/misunderstanding between Lilly & Shawn that led them to how they were in the present & that's just a personal preference. Misunderstanding/Miscommunication Tropes give me mad anxiety lol
All in all it was a great read & definitely one that I'd recommend! Time to go back & read the first in the series!
April 23, 2024
I dislike giving indie authors bad reviews, but I really, really didn't like "Apparently, I'm Torture" by Demi Blaize. I hated the characters, which made me dislike the book as a whole. Lilly annoyed the heck out of me. She's childish, immature, and irritating. I know she has anxiety, but holy crap... all she does is talk about her stomach is tied up in knots and sings the My Little Pony theme song (which, juvenile even with *~trauma*~) and talks about how sick she is going to be... is it any wonder why she doesn't have that many friends or love interests?!? She also seems insanely bad at her job as a teacher. Some people aren't meant to do certain things, and Lilly SHOULD NOT teach, even after the final reveal is made, my mind is not changed about this. Shawn is problematic in his own ways. The way he iced Lilly out with no word because he couldn't have her? RED FLAG. RED FLAG. RED FLAGGGG. His only redeeming quality throughout the entire book is that he is attractive! Yuck! If I worked at this school, or sent my kids to this school, where every single teacher had intense amounts of personal drama and they were all hooking up with each other (sometimes AT school), and it impacted their jobs? I would run for the hills! I love enemies to lovers books, but the interpersonal conflict between Shawn and Lilly felt conniving on her part and cruel on his. And then add Trevor into the mix and ooooh, boy. The things he does in this book are not only fireable offenses, they ate JAILABLE offenses.
For being such a short book, the prose drags on and on and on in a repetitive manner. I appreciate the complimentary ARC of this book from Grey's Promotions, but this was not the book for me.
For being such a short book, the prose drags on and on and on in a repetitive manner. I appreciate the complimentary ARC of this book from Grey's Promotions, but this was not the book for me.
April 30, 2024
Apparently, I'm Torture dives back into the world of Demi Blaize's Double Shot Duet, this time focusing on teacher Lilly Fares and her complicated history with Shawn Jackson.
The story sets the stage for a classic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope with a twist. Lilly, a fiercely independent teacher with a touch of past people-pleasing tendencies, finds herself coerced by her nightmare boss to work with none other than Shawn, her academic frenemy. Years of icy stares and unresolved feelings make for a hilariously tense situation.
But Blaize doesn't stop there. As forced collaboration turns into (dare we say) genuine conversation, the cracks in their animosity begin to show. Lilly's vulnerability with her anxiety and Shawn's surprising helpfulness add depth to their interactions. The story sets a path promising a romance built on rediscovering each other rather than falling for a caricature.
The novel caters to a specific reader niche: those who enjoy the enemies-to-lovers dance with a dash of workplace drama. The inclusion of "Teacher x Teacher high stakes workplace conflict" suggests a unique twist on the usual office romance trope.
For those who appreciate a strong female lead, Lilly's journey of self-discovery and reclaiming her voice holds promise. The blurb also hints at a swoon-worthy hero in Shawn, willing to go the extra mile.
The spice level seems to cater to readers who prefer a slow burn with earned intimacy, a detail helpfully highlighted in the blurb. The dual first-person POV offers a chance to delve into both characters' heads, giving a well-rounded perspective on their emotional journeys.
Fans of nostalgic elements will likely appreciate the "Then vs Now timeline" aspect, hinting at a deeper exploration of their past dynamic.
The story sets the stage for a classic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope with a twist. Lilly, a fiercely independent teacher with a touch of past people-pleasing tendencies, finds herself coerced by her nightmare boss to work with none other than Shawn, her academic frenemy. Years of icy stares and unresolved feelings make for a hilariously tense situation.
But Blaize doesn't stop there. As forced collaboration turns into (dare we say) genuine conversation, the cracks in their animosity begin to show. Lilly's vulnerability with her anxiety and Shawn's surprising helpfulness add depth to their interactions. The story sets a path promising a romance built on rediscovering each other rather than falling for a caricature.
The novel caters to a specific reader niche: those who enjoy the enemies-to-lovers dance with a dash of workplace drama. The inclusion of "Teacher x Teacher high stakes workplace conflict" suggests a unique twist on the usual office romance trope.
For those who appreciate a strong female lead, Lilly's journey of self-discovery and reclaiming her voice holds promise. The blurb also hints at a swoon-worthy hero in Shawn, willing to go the extra mile.
The spice level seems to cater to readers who prefer a slow burn with earned intimacy, a detail helpfully highlighted in the blurb. The dual first-person POV offers a chance to delve into both characters' heads, giving a well-rounded perspective on their emotional journeys.
Fans of nostalgic elements will likely appreciate the "Then vs Now timeline" aspect, hinting at a deeper exploration of their past dynamic.
April 7, 2024
3.75/5 ⭐
ARC REVIEW!
As you know the premise of the story says friends to enemies to lovers. So Shawn and Lilly were friends back in the day but life happened and misunderstandings happened they became distant or as Lilly thought that Shawn hated her since he called her Torture to work with.
Lilly suffers from hyper anxiety and is in the habit of burning herself to death for the sake of others.
Shawn had few unresolved feelings for Lilly but he couldn't act upon it since she was seeing someone else, one thing leading to another they both drifted apart.
But 5 years later she had to meet him again in order to save her job. They were both teachers and Shawn had made big in the field and wanted to help children at large. So he was leading a fundraiser in which Lilly was also the member. Shawn is again conflicted about how to act in her presence and Lilly is adamant to know the reason why he left her 5 years ago.
There was a lot of push and pull between them of wanting to and not wanting to. Eventually they cleared their misunderstandings but was Lilly still in the clear for saving her job? Or will the reconciliation still cost her, her job ??
The writing is a bit amateur but again the author is new, I'm sure with time it will definitely be better. The story jumps back and forth throughout the book between past and present. The spice was good.
PS: The book is going to be released on April 16th, please do read it to know what happened with Shawn and Lilly and why they drifted apart in the first place.
ARC REVIEW!
As you know the premise of the story says friends to enemies to lovers. So Shawn and Lilly were friends back in the day but life happened and misunderstandings happened they became distant or as Lilly thought that Shawn hated her since he called her Torture to work with.
Lilly suffers from hyper anxiety and is in the habit of burning herself to death for the sake of others.
Shawn had few unresolved feelings for Lilly but he couldn't act upon it since she was seeing someone else, one thing leading to another they both drifted apart.
But 5 years later she had to meet him again in order to save her job. They were both teachers and Shawn had made big in the field and wanted to help children at large. So he was leading a fundraiser in which Lilly was also the member. Shawn is again conflicted about how to act in her presence and Lilly is adamant to know the reason why he left her 5 years ago.
There was a lot of push and pull between them of wanting to and not wanting to. Eventually they cleared their misunderstandings but was Lilly still in the clear for saving her job? Or will the reconciliation still cost her, her job ??
The writing is a bit amateur but again the author is new, I'm sure with time it will definitely be better. The story jumps back and forth throughout the book between past and present. The spice was good.
PS: The book is going to be released on April 16th, please do read it to know what happened with Shawn and Lilly and why they drifted apart in the first place.
April 18, 2024
✨Arc Review✨
Apparently I’m Torture
By Demi Blaize
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
First off I want to thank Greys Promo and Demi Blaize for the Arc in exchange for an honest review
Demi absolutely crushed it again with this story!! This is the second book in the Double Shot Duet and this story follows Lily and Shawn!! We mets them in the first book and I was so so so excited to read their story because of their banter!!!
Shawn and Lily were inseparable until they stoped talking for a period of time, when Lily needs to help with a fundraiser and is threatened to be fired if she does not do well she runs into Shawn but he is grumpy and giving her the cold shoulder, this book navigates their past and the future and how they were able to finally have their love story!!
I loved how Lily became so strong at the end, she is such a pushover and people pleaser and towards the end she finally did what made her happy. I loved how passionate she was about her students and getting her feelings across to shawn and making sure she was seen! I loved how she stood up to Trevor too!! Ngl Shawn had me really angry when he popped back up, but getting to know him and his personality I really liked him as a character. He truly loves Lily with everything in him, the fact that he was willing to take a career hit for her and the way he spoke his words to her about how much he loved her was everything!
The thing that had me screaming was I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE JUST TOLD EACHOTHER!!! I was rooting for them the whole time though! I loved the spice, the swoon, the banter, and the arguing!! Mia was such a great character and it was so nice to see Nikki and Tristan again!!!
Apparently I’m Torture
By Demi Blaize
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
First off I want to thank Greys Promo and Demi Blaize for the Arc in exchange for an honest review
Demi absolutely crushed it again with this story!! This is the second book in the Double Shot Duet and this story follows Lily and Shawn!! We mets them in the first book and I was so so so excited to read their story because of their banter!!!
Shawn and Lily were inseparable until they stoped talking for a period of time, when Lily needs to help with a fundraiser and is threatened to be fired if she does not do well she runs into Shawn but he is grumpy and giving her the cold shoulder, this book navigates their past and the future and how they were able to finally have their love story!!
I loved how Lily became so strong at the end, she is such a pushover and people pleaser and towards the end she finally did what made her happy. I loved how passionate she was about her students and getting her feelings across to shawn and making sure she was seen! I loved how she stood up to Trevor too!! Ngl Shawn had me really angry when he popped back up, but getting to know him and his personality I really liked him as a character. He truly loves Lily with everything in him, the fact that he was willing to take a career hit for her and the way he spoke his words to her about how much he loved her was everything!
The thing that had me screaming was I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE JUST TOLD EACHOTHER!!! I was rooting for them the whole time though! I loved the spice, the swoon, the banter, and the arguing!! Mia was such a great character and it was so nice to see Nikki and Tristan again!!!
April 19, 2024
I liked this book better than I liked Apparently, I'm a Bitch. I liked that the author explored how situations and motivations aren't always black and white. That being said:
1. While the characters were interesting, I found it hard to like a lot of them (even the ones I was supposed to like) because of either how they treated Lilly (including Shawn), or how their actions affected her and her anxiety.
2. For someone who is supposedly an excellent teacher and communicator, Shawn wasn't so good at communicating with Lilly. There were so many things he could've said that wouldn't have sounded like he was putting them blame on her for why he didn't want to be around her.
3. I think they are talking about Lilly and Co. working at private/charter schools (wasn't there a reference late in the book?) but if this is the case, it would've been good to have it specified early the book, for those of us not familiar with 'classical' schools. Also, I'm assuming Lilly isn't part of a union, because she could've grieved her treatment on so many levels (again, I come from a place where teachers' unions are relatively strong). Likewise, at the end, I think the principal was trying to placate Lilly so she wouldn't sue the school.
4. I like the premise of Shawn's initiative, but there's been some criticism of the Maslow's Hierarchy, so I probably would've used a different frame for it.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
1. While the characters were interesting, I found it hard to like a lot of them (even the ones I was supposed to like) because of either how they treated Lilly (including Shawn), or how their actions affected her and her anxiety.
2. For someone who is supposedly an excellent teacher and communicator, Shawn wasn't so good at communicating with Lilly. There were so many things he could've said that wouldn't have sounded like he was putting them blame on her for why he didn't want to be around her.
3. I think they are talking about Lilly and Co. working at private/charter schools (wasn't there a reference late in the book?) but if this is the case, it would've been good to have it specified early the book, for those of us not familiar with 'classical' schools. Also, I'm assuming Lilly isn't part of a union, because she could've grieved her treatment on so many levels (again, I come from a place where teachers' unions are relatively strong). Likewise, at the end, I think the principal was trying to placate Lilly so she wouldn't sue the school.
4. I like the premise of Shawn's initiative, but there's been some criticism of the Maslow's Hierarchy, so I probably would've used a different frame for it.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
This is the second book in her Double Shot Duet which follows Shawn Jackson and Lilly Fares. Lilly and Shawn were best friends in college and while working at Tristan’s coffee shop until 5 years ago when Shawn cut all ties. Both are now teachers in different schools but wind up forced to work together after Lilly’s boss, and ex-boyfriend, forces her for work for their district fundraiser. Can the two rekindle their friendship and figure out their feelings?
I will say I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed Nikki and Tristan’s story. It was much more angsty, however, given the ages of Shawn and Lilly, that completely tracks. A big premise of this story is communication issues. It is a verrrry slow burn that I feel could’ve been resolved quicker if the characters fully voiced their feelings. At the same time I know for a fact I wouldn’t have voiced my own opinions at 23 because *anxiety* l. IYKYK 😂 Some of the then/now timeline felt repetitive to me but overall I enjoyed their story.
It was nice to see Nikki and Tristan and even Uncle Henry in spurts. Mia was also a wonderful supporting character. “Treviboy” is the ultimate villain. I knew from the beginning he was going to be a terrible person, and I’m so glad he got what was coming to him.
I will say I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed Nikki and Tristan’s story. It was much more angsty, however, given the ages of Shawn and Lilly, that completely tracks. A big premise of this story is communication issues. It is a verrrry slow burn that I feel could’ve been resolved quicker if the characters fully voiced their feelings. At the same time I know for a fact I wouldn’t have voiced my own opinions at 23 because *anxiety* l. IYKYK 😂 Some of the then/now timeline felt repetitive to me but overall I enjoyed their story.
It was nice to see Nikki and Tristan and even Uncle Henry in spurts. Mia was also a wonderful supporting character. “Treviboy” is the ultimate villain. I knew from the beginning he was going to be a terrible person, and I’m so glad he got what was coming to him.
April 16, 2024
Demi Blaize has done it again! Another page turner novel with a twist you won't see coming.
Lilly and Shawn used to work together at Tristan and Nikki's (from book 1) coffee shop. Tristy's is where Shawn and Lilly originally fell in love, but neither ever told the other how they feel. They both went to college to become teachers and it was very important to Lilly to teach in a certain district. Shawn chose otherwise be he couldn't put himself through seeing her every day.
Lilly was dating Trevor for quite awhile and it's not exactly what it seems. Think of it as more of a forced relationship. When Lilly wants out, all bets are off and Trevor is no longer the perfect gentleman.
When Shawn and Lilly are forced to work together on a project, Lilly's anxiety sky rockets again. But the truth sets everyone free right? It comes at a cost to Lilly and Shawn.
I absolutely loved this beautiful story line.
Lilly and Shawn used to work together at Tristan and Nikki's (from book 1) coffee shop. Tristy's is where Shawn and Lilly originally fell in love, but neither ever told the other how they feel. They both went to college to become teachers and it was very important to Lilly to teach in a certain district. Shawn chose otherwise be he couldn't put himself through seeing her every day.
Lilly was dating Trevor for quite awhile and it's not exactly what it seems. Think of it as more of a forced relationship. When Lilly wants out, all bets are off and Trevor is no longer the perfect gentleman.
When Shawn and Lilly are forced to work together on a project, Lilly's anxiety sky rockets again. But the truth sets everyone free right? It comes at a cost to Lilly and Shawn.
I absolutely loved this beautiful story line.
April 18, 2024
Thank you, @demiblaizebooks and @greyspromo for sending me the ARC.
This book would be great for those who enjoy:
🍎Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🍎Teacher x Teacher
🍎Flashbacks
🍎Forced Proximity
🍎He Falls First
🍎It’s Always Been You
I enjoyed this one! I joked with my husband that apparently I needed a trigger warning for teacher being threatened to be fired 🤣 the teaching part and being looked down as less even though you’re working so hard to build those important relationships…very realistically written, coming from a former teacher being in a similar situation that caused me to leave teaching. I love when a book has a lot of realism.
I really liked the flashbacks and how we get to see what the relationship was like between the two MCs and understanding why their relationship is so strained now. The reveal to why things went down and the MCs finally talking things out was a great turning point. The drama was interesting as well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5
This book would be great for those who enjoy:
🍎Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🍎Teacher x Teacher
🍎Flashbacks
🍎Forced Proximity
🍎He Falls First
🍎It’s Always Been You
I enjoyed this one! I joked with my husband that apparently I needed a trigger warning for teacher being threatened to be fired 🤣 the teaching part and being looked down as less even though you’re working so hard to build those important relationships…very realistically written, coming from a former teacher being in a similar situation that caused me to leave teaching. I love when a book has a lot of realism.
I really liked the flashbacks and how we get to see what the relationship was like between the two MCs and understanding why their relationship is so strained now. The reveal to why things went down and the MCs finally talking things out was a great turning point. The drama was interesting as well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5
April 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this romcom. I'm a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this story has a great twist to that.
We read about their relationship THEN (when they were coworkers in a coffee shop when they studied and were they were good friends) and NOW (at the start of the book there's a 5 year gap, and now they are enemies teaching at different schools). Something i liked is that about the first half of the book we read Lilly's POV now and Shawn's POV then so we don't have the hole picture of their relationship. That's something we get to discover slowly with each chapter.
And the slow burn with the angst is hot. Lilly has anxiety and that's a real problem for her because she gets sick quickly and sometimes she can't prevent the fallout.
What can I say about Lilly's bestfriend? I love Mia, and I expect a book about her own romance. Please Demi, she deserves her own story!
- I received an arc from Grey's promo and am giving my honest review -
We read about their relationship THEN (when they were coworkers in a coffee shop when they studied and were they were good friends) and NOW (at the start of the book there's a 5 year gap, and now they are enemies teaching at different schools). Something i liked is that about the first half of the book we read Lilly's POV now and Shawn's POV then so we don't have the hole picture of their relationship. That's something we get to discover slowly with each chapter.
And the slow burn with the angst is hot. Lilly has anxiety and that's a real problem for her because she gets sick quickly and sometimes she can't prevent the fallout.
What can I say about Lilly's bestfriend? I love Mia, and I expect a book about her own romance. Please Demi, she deserves her own story!
- I received an arc from Grey's promo and am giving my honest review -
April 23, 2024
The friends to enemies to lovers was really good i like how the timelines were written i like the timelines things and it was written well.
The FMC is showed kind hearted but also a little dumb because she let everyone do anything to her heart and thats how she got bully and i loved what the author had for Trevor in the end he deserved it.
Both the characters grew well and when they started as lovers was were the book goes really really well because they were so into it and i was feeling all the feels.❤️❤️
Really great story a definite read❤️
Thankyou for the eARC ❤️ and this is my honest review ❤️
The FMC is showed kind hearted but also a little dumb because she let everyone do anything to her heart and thats how she got bully and i loved what the author had for Trevor in the end he deserved it.
Both the characters grew well and when they started as lovers was were the book goes really really well because they were so into it and i was feeling all the feels.❤️❤️
Really great story a definite read❤️
Thankyou for the eARC ❤️ and this is my honest review ❤️
April 13, 2024
This is Book 2 in the Double Shot Duet and my first read by this author, and I must say that I quite enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It is a friends to enemies to lovers romance between teachers, Lilly and Shawn. These flawed but likeable souls and the unique plot make for an entertaining read. It is a slow burn love story with drama and steam, sexual tension and chemistry, twists and turns, and an interesting cast of secondary characters. An engaging page turner.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Valentine PR and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Valentine PR and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
April 16, 2024
This is the second book in this duet, and this is Lilly and Shawn’s story.
Lilly and Shawn are both teachers, and 5-years ago they drifted apart, but now Lilly is forced to work with Shawn of a fundraiser by her boss, and ex Trevor.
This is a good story which is a slow burn, with found family, opposites attract, angst, enemies / lovers, humor, witty banter, tension, emotions, undeniable chemistry, twists and turns, insecurities, and love, which leads to an enjoyable and steamy page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Lilly and Shawn are both teachers, and 5-years ago they drifted apart, but now Lilly is forced to work with Shawn of a fundraiser by her boss, and ex Trevor.
This is a good story which is a slow burn, with found family, opposites attract, angst, enemies / lovers, humor, witty banter, tension, emotions, undeniable chemistry, twists and turns, insecurities, and love, which leads to an enjoyable and steamy page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
April 20, 2024
I enjoyed this story! It was fun and a pretty quick read. The story takes place in two timelines and I felt like it was easy to follow along. I really connected with Lilly from the start. I felt like her struggle with anxiety was authentic and I also connected with her people pleasing ways and her struggles with putting herself first sometimes.
Shawn was such a softie underneath his tough exterior. He and Lilly clearly had a connection. Yes he should have been honest with her years ago and there was reason they hadn’t spoken, but as they fought their chemistry it was fireworks when they got together.
I loved Mia! I also loved how dedicated Lilly was to her students and she really cared about them. No spoilers but I really loved the ending!!
✨Genre/Tropes
🩵Romantic Comedy
💋Opposites Attract
☕️Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🍎Teacher vs Teacher
💜Anxiety Rep
🔥Slow Burn
Shawn was such a softie underneath his tough exterior. He and Lilly clearly had a connection. Yes he should have been honest with her years ago and there was reason they hadn’t spoken, but as they fought their chemistry it was fireworks when they got together.
I loved Mia! I also loved how dedicated Lilly was to her students and she really cared about them. No spoilers but I really loved the ending!!
✨Genre/Tropes
🩵Romantic Comedy
💋Opposites Attract
☕️Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🍎Teacher vs Teacher
💜Anxiety Rep
🔥Slow Burn
April 25, 2024
Thank you Grey's Promo and Demi for the ARC 💕
This was the first book I read by Demi! It was interesting to see the dual POV and how they kept flashing back to when Lilly and Shawn worked together in the coffee shop which was made it more understandable about the situation. I loved Lily's personality and how she cared for her students and wanted the best for them. I couldn't believe how diabolical Trevor was! My mind was blown at the end when everything came out. The miscommunication was not for me though.
This was the first book I read by Demi! It was interesting to see the dual POV and how they kept flashing back to when Lilly and Shawn worked together in the coffee shop which was made it more understandable about the situation. I loved Lily's personality and how she cared for her students and wanted the best for them. I couldn't believe how diabolical Trevor was! My mind was blown at the end when everything came out. The miscommunication was not for me though.
April 24, 2024
Rating:4
Tropes:
Romantic Comedy
Opposite Attract
Friends to Enemies to Lovers
Teacher vs Teacher
Slow Burn
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed this story. I was able to finish this book within one sitting.
Its a slow burn with drama and the sexual tension and chemistry between the two main characters really drawn you in.
If you enjoy the above mention tropes please don't hesitate to give this book a chance.
Tropes:
Romantic Comedy
Opposite Attract
Friends to Enemies to Lovers
Teacher vs Teacher
Slow Burn
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed this story. I was able to finish this book within one sitting.
Its a slow burn with drama and the sexual tension and chemistry between the two main characters really drawn you in.
If you enjoy the above mention tropes please don't hesitate to give this book a chance.
April 17, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
I really enjoyed this! It’s a quick, easy read. The characters were introduced in the first book in this series of interconnected stand-alones. This book picks up a few years after the first book and is centered on a new relationship. It’s a friends to enemies to lovers with grumpy/sunshine energy and some workplace romance sprinkled in. There’s some miscommunication that frustrated me a little bit, not my favorite thing in a book, but it didn’t feel forced just for the sake of having the trope in there.
I really enjoyed this! It’s a quick, easy read. The characters were introduced in the first book in this series of interconnected stand-alones. This book picks up a few years after the first book and is centered on a new relationship. It’s a friends to enemies to lovers with grumpy/sunshine energy and some workplace romance sprinkled in. There’s some miscommunication that frustrated me a little bit, not my favorite thing in a book, but it didn’t feel forced just for the sake of having the trope in there.
April 15, 2024
Thanks to Demi and Valentine PR for the ARC <3
I had so much reading this book! I loved how it flipped between the main characters perspectives and bounced back and forth between past and present which give insight into Shawn and Lilly and the progression of their relationship.
Lilly is a people-pleasing person who finds herself constantly putting others before herself, even at the expense of her own well-being.
Shawn comes off as tough but is secretly a softie, especially when it comes to Lilly. The poor guy is head over heels for her, but he's terrible at showing it. Classic!
It was such a fast read because I was unable to tear myself away until I uncovered how these two went from being friends to enemies to lovers. Their slow burning romance was a joy to witness, brimming with genuine emotion and undeniable chemistry. The whole miscommunication thing got me a bit antsy and it was the only factor that prevented me from awarding this book a perfect five stars.
I had so much reading this book! I loved how it flipped between the main characters perspectives and bounced back and forth between past and present which give insight into Shawn and Lilly and the progression of their relationship.
Lilly is a people-pleasing person who finds herself constantly putting others before herself, even at the expense of her own well-being.
Shawn comes off as tough but is secretly a softie, especially when it comes to Lilly. The poor guy is head over heels for her, but he's terrible at showing it. Classic!
It was such a fast read because I was unable to tear myself away until I uncovered how these two went from being friends to enemies to lovers. Their slow burning romance was a joy to witness, brimming with genuine emotion and undeniable chemistry. The whole miscommunication thing got me a bit antsy and it was the only factor that prevented me from awarding this book a perfect five stars.
April 23, 2024
Wonderful book! If you liked the first one, this is what sequels or interconnected series should be about! Demi does an amazing job of mirroring first book with the same yet different feeling
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