Sarah Hogle

"For fans of The Hating Game, a debut lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two unhappily engaged people each trying to force the other to end the relationship--and falling back in love in the process"--

You Deserve Each Other

When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.

alie 

I just love when writers describe eyes like this. So poetic and romantic. Makes you stop and think about it. 

Arlet Isabela

His eyes are the color of a silver fir. They’re fog and moonlight.

lex 📖

I inadvertently let him in to see the ugly parts but instead of running away like I’d counted on him to do, he wrapped his arms around all of that ugliness and didn’t let go. 

It’s how my heart pounds so loud I’m certain he can hear it. It's how his closeness makes my knees weak, and his skin brushing mine jolts me like a spray of hot sparks. It's how he knows me better than anyone else, and I never meant for him to. 

I never want this dance to end. He won't let me press myself against him so that I can hide my face, gently tugging back every time I try to disappear. 

I didn't think we were the kind of couple that danced in a kitchen in the middle of the woods, but it turns out that's exactly the kind of couple we are. 

And I’d want to be here for you. Support you and make you feel better. I want you to tell me when you get bad news so that you’re not going through it alone. 

You can't treat my fiancée that way and expect to still be invited to the wedding

PERIOD PUT DEBORAH IN HER MF PLACE NICHOLAS 

She's my fiancée, she's beautiful and perfect, and I won't have her spoken to like this by anyone, much less a member of my own damn family.

"We made a good team back there." "That's the way it's supposed to be”

SARAH. HOGLE

Sophia

The forest retreats into a black smudge, cold air rushing into my lungs. The man I love is waiting for me at the pond’s edge, and I feel his pulse as if it’s my own . My senses kaleidoscope, collecting pictures and scents and sounds to preserve until my dying day.

I’ve been holding my breath since the second I met him; how strange now, to exhale at last.

Breathing will never feel the same again.

How many times did my gaze pass right over him, not realizing he was looking back at me?

“What are you doing home?” I blink several times, waiting for him to disappear. I’m still dreaming.

It’s how he knows me better than anyone else, and I never meant for him to.

I tried to keep him at a safe distance where he could only see the decent parts of me and it made us both miserable.

I inadvertently let him in to see the ugly parts but instead of running away like I’d counted on him to do, he wrapped his arms around all of that ugliness and didn’t let go.

it's kind of heartbreaking she doesn't realize why he wears it

He’s walking across the road right toward me, wearing the coat I call his Sherlock Holmes coat. It was expensive and the nicest gift I’ve ever gotten him.

He wears it from the very beginning of autumn until the very end of spring, with a scarf looped beneath the wide collar.

“You stopped seeing me, Naomi. You stopped wanting me. You’re going to figure out one of these days that I can tell when you’re starting to disassociate, and it’s the most heartbreaking experience I’ve ever had. It’s nonstop. It keeps on happening. I try to bring you back to me every time you go to leave, off into your own head where I’m not allowed.”

“I thought this would be a nice surprise. I thought you’d love it. Just like with the flowers you complained I never get for you. But then when I do get you flowers, you SET THEM ON FIRE.”

“That’s ancient history! How dare you bring that up. You already admitted you don’t care what I want.”

We give our fingers a workout with frantic Googling. My ominous delivery sure does look like oleander to me, but it also looks like a million other types of flowers. They all look the same.

We discover it would be really easy to kill someone with this kind of plant, and according to IMDb that very plot happened in a movie with Michelle Pfeiffer. Michelle’s character used them to kill her lover, a man named Barry.

Chloe Heisserer

When we next glance at the clock, it's two thirty in the morning and I'm struck by the realization that my fiancé and I are becoming friends again.

amy 

“This is how I’ll die: slightly unwilling but ultimately lazy.”

okay nicholas enough! hand in marriage now! 

Sarah 

“You came home because I missed you?”

He’s got his elbow bent on the pillow, palm under the back of his head, watching me fathomlessly. His other hand drapes across his stomach. “Yes.”

“But you still haven’t said you love me.”

“I say it all the time, I just say it very, very quietly. I tell you when you’re in another room, or right after we hang up the phone. I tell you when you’ve got headphones on. I say it after you shut the door behind you. I say it in my head every time you look at me.”

“I like it right here,” I tell him, cradling either side of his face between my hands. “You make me happy. It makes me happy that you came home because I missed you; I’m appreciative of everything you do, for me and anybody else. I’m lucky to be with a thoughtful man like you and I’m sorry that I’ve taken you for granted and acted like a jerk. I’m thankful that you stayed put until I found you again. You supporting me, and making me feel valuable, is everything.”

“Do you know you’re my best friend?”

“I’m thankful that you stayed put until I found you again.”

at first, i felt uncertain about the book. i had trouble connecting with the characters right away, and I found myself a little frustrated with how the story’s progressing. It made me question if i was even reading the same book that everyone else was raving about…

i loved the absence of cheating… i loved how the problems were rooted in their indifferences or, ironically, their overwhelming similarities only.… the truest depiction of being in long term relationship. the way they boldly roasted each other about their flaws, yet couldn't bring themselves to sit down and have an open conversation to resolve them, really struck me. being on the same page feels like a shared experience, but it's jarring to discover you've both been reading entirely different narratives… it seemed like both were waiting for the other to either give up or finally take the initiative to fix what needs fixings. i’m glad they eventually found their way back to each other because calling off a wedding and breaking up over issues that could be resolved through heartfelt communication, especially when love is still present, would be such a shame.

overall, while it wasn't a super fun read for me, i did enjoy some of their banter. i especially loved the part where they finally started being open with each other, and nicholas became (finally!) reassuring towards naomi. bc bruuh i was so frustrated by him until 90% mark lol

“I’m thankful that you stayed put until I found you again.”

at first, i felt uncertain about the book. i had trouble connecting with the characters right away, and I found myself a little frustrated with how the story’s progressing. It made me question if i was even reading the same book that everyone else was raving about…

i loved the absence of cheating… i loved how the problems were rooted in their indifferences or, ironically, their overwhelming similarities only.… the truest depiction of being in long term relationship. the way they boldly roasted each other about their flaws, yet couldn't bring themselves to sit down and have an open conversation to resolve them, really struck me. being on the same page feels like a shared experience, but it's jarring to discover you've both been reading entirely different narratives… it seemed like both were waiting for the other to either give up or finally take the initiative to fix what needs fixings. i’m glad they eventually found their way back to each other because calling off a wedding and breaking up over issues that could be resolved through heartfelt communication, especially when love is still present, would be such a shame.

overall, while it wasn't a super fun read for me, i did enjoy some of their banter. i especially loved the part where they finally started being open with each other, and nicholas became (finally!) reassuring towards naomi. bc bruuh i was so frustrated by him until 90% mark lol

This one is sweet too. It just tells about falling out of love and then falling in love again. I love this book so much, the banter, the romance and the enemies to lovers. It's lovely that they improved their personality as knowing each other through all the way. They become one.

stephie

i will revisit this review later, but they’re the most annoying humans ever! they deserve each other!

Maureen

“I am falling apart and Nicholas doesn’t even notice.”

***

Such a funny and cute romance novel! Takes the enemies-to-lovers trope to another level since Naomi and Nicholas are already engaged. So more like lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers. 

This book was so funny I laughed out loud multiple times. More than the silly banter, I appreciate how Hogle took the time to develop her leads. At the start, they’re petty and jaded from how cynical they’ve been treating the other, but all that facade gradually crumbles when they (re)discover what it’s like to enjoy being around the other person’s company. 

I also appreciate when authors sprinkle in details that seem minor at first, but eventually reference them later on. Goes to show that they put thought into their work, and it wasn’t simply to extend the plot. 

Overall, the ending left me pretty satisfied so I’m giving this four stars.

Mira <3

3.5 stars. nothing but mindless fun! naomi and nicholas have amazing chemistry (seriously this is how you write chemistry guys) but the fact that this book is 400 pages of miscommunication made it drag out a lot sometimes. all the characters are hilarious but the way the author writes sometimes jars me (who the hell rights "Lol" just like that). naomi seemed like she thought she did no wrong which is like natural i guess but still annoying because that went on for far too long i fear.

Kris Felger

I usually take booktok books recommendations with a grain of salt. I’ve been let down one too many times before. However, I knew I could trust Sivanreads so I picked this book up and I don’t regret a single second. 

This book made my chest ache for so many reasons. I shed actual tears over these characters and the whole time I thought, they DO deserve each other. 

The idea of two lovers losing their way and then finding it again is so beautiful to me. “I don’t like you again yet. But i’m going to. And you’re going to like me again, too. This house is going to save us” 

If missing the point and being wrong were an Olympic sport, Naomi would take home the gold. She actively attempts to miss the point in order for her to get her way and while its so petty I cant help but admire her for it. It upset me a lot, is it really that hard to take a step back and look at things from someone else’s perspective? The answer apparently, is yes. 

Did an author really make me fall so in love with a fictional man that I cant help but defend him? Am I in an alternate dimension? 

Anyways, I loved this book and I will continue to love it until I die because I am a hopeless romantic, and the idea that love can get you through even the hardest things is something I will always believe in. 

“Enjoy your Thanksgiving!” he calls over his shoulder.
“You two are assholes!” she calls back. “You deserve each other.”

I need Sarah Hogle to write their Married Life NOW

Bria

sani

not kidding, this book was actually really good? i had started this book with very low expectations but omg did i love naomi and totally went from hating Nicholas in the starting to loving and simping for him in the last. also deborah was so fucking annoying. ugh. that part totally reminded me of brown mothers trying to maternise their grownass sons. good thing that nicky—boy actually understood.

** spoiler alert **
           i was going to give it two stars for about 70% of the book because, although the fighting was fun(ny), i can't imagine this happening in the real world. maybe a healthy relationship has spoiled me, but i can't imagine spending almost two years with someone and not knowing them, and hiding myself from them. but then it became cute. and i appreciate the idea of choosing your partner over and over again, but i think it could've been executed better

arwen

maia

this made me laugh but also left me feeling lonely. great banter. from naomi's pov, you'll think that nicholas is the villain, yet the real problem is their lack of communication

buny

the way i laughed out loud multiple times 😭 and why are sarah's men such responsible caring sweethearts 😭🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶 my naominicholas 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶 this is true, real love, right here ;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;

aleksandra

4/5

I love them. That’s it. 


  
    „I like being around you and when I’m not around you, I’m always thinking about you. I want you to know I’m thinking about you all the time.”

„I didn’t think we were the kind of couple that danced in a kitchen in the middle of the woods, but it turns out that’s exactly the kind of couple we are.”

I enjoyed this! I didn’t think I would like it at first due to the immaturity and lack of communication, but I really appreciated the character growth. 

Kate W

madreadz⟢

This was every bit as chaotic as I expected it to be, but in the best way possible. It was such a fresh take on ‘enemies to lovers’ trope because it was really more like ‘lovers to enemies to lovers.’ Falling out of love with each other, hating each other’s guts, sabotaging their relationship but still trying to salvage it the only way they can and the best part is when they relearn how how to love each other again and seeing the other person in a different light. so good!!

Isabella 

It is such a good light read! I loved it so much. It was so cute, and I enjoyed reading every chapter. I don't think I found any chapter boring at all. The miscommunication trope was the main factor of the book, and normally I would get annoyed with it, but I didn't feel annoyed at all because they were able to fix it. However, I wanted more angst in the story. Overall, I still think this is a good, light book and I enjoyed it.

Loved their dynamic and loved being in her head 

Mara

kels

farrah 

nicholas and i are a parable about bottling your frustrations. we've been inflicting a quiet violence onto our own feelings by confining them to tiny spaces with only a teaspoon of oxygen, fermenting them into an ugly, chemistry incompatible with love. we've felt the glass trembling from the increase of pressure but continued suffering through our smiles.  

i was so convinced that i was going to dnf this because the miscommunication between naomi and nicholas drove me insane in the first half (no joke, half of my annotations are just me yelling at them), but my GOD i ended up being blown away. i absolutely adore hogle’s writing style and it's been so long since i had fun reading a book. naomi and nicholas may be the some of the most insufferable people ever but they really do love each other so much and i love them!!

trixie

** spoiler alert **
           THEY NAMED THE HOUSE EVER AFTER

lexie

Naomi and Nicholas will be one of my favorite couple that i read. I understand how frustrating it is why Parents and specially mothers tend to control everything. I normally don't like 2nd chance romance but this one i LOVED this one. I never got bored in this Novel. It has a lot realizations and lessons. This book is very realistic and funny. This novel is one of a kind and it doesn't have any similar novel that I've seen. i loved this book.

🦌

MY FAV ROMCOM OFFICIALLY i finished it in 24 hours

You Deserve Each Other

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