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The Rivals
A sexy, enemies-to-lovers standalone from #1 New York Times Bestseller, Vi Keeland.
The feud between Weston Lockwood and me started at the altar.
Only neither of us attended the wedding, and the nuptials happened decades before either of us was born.
Our grandfathers had been best friends and business partners, at least up until my grandfather’s wedding day—when his bride-to-be blurted out she couldn’t marry him because she was also in love with Weston‘s grandfather.
The two men spent years fighting over Grace Copeland, who also happened to be their third business partner. But in the end, neither man could steal half of her heart away from the other.
Eventually, they all went their separate ways. Our grandfathers married other women, and the two men became one of the biggest business rivals in history.
Our fathers continued the family tradition of feuding. And then Weston and I did, too.
For the most part, we kept as much distance as possible.
Until the day the woman who started the feud died—and unexpectedly left one of the most valuable hotels in the world to our grandfathers to share.
Now I’m stuck in a hotel with the man I was born to hate, trying to unravel the mess our families inherited.
As usual, it didn’t take long for us to be at each other’s throats.
Weston Lockwood was everything I hated: tall, smart, cocky, and too gorgeous for his own good. We were fire and ice.
But that shouldn’t be an issue. Our families were used to being at war. There was just one minor problem, though. Every time Weston and I fought, we somehow wound up in bed.
The feud between Weston Lockwood and me started at the altar.
Only neither of us attended the wedding, and the nuptials happened decades before either of us was born.
Our grandfathers had been best friends and business partners, at least up until my grandfather’s wedding day—when his bride-to-be blurted out she couldn’t marry him because she was also in love with Weston‘s grandfather.
The two men spent years fighting over Grace Copeland, who also happened to be their third business partner. But in the end, neither man could steal half of her heart away from the other.
Eventually, they all went their separate ways. Our grandfathers married other women, and the two men became one of the biggest business rivals in history.
Our fathers continued the family tradition of feuding. And then Weston and I did, too.
For the most part, we kept as much distance as possible.
Until the day the woman who started the feud died—and unexpectedly left one of the most valuable hotels in the world to our grandfathers to share.
Now I’m stuck in a hotel with the man I was born to hate, trying to unravel the mess our families inherited.
As usual, it didn’t take long for us to be at each other’s throats.
Weston Lockwood was everything I hated: tall, smart, cocky, and too gorgeous for his own good. We were fire and ice.
But that shouldn’t be an issue. Our families were used to being at war. There was just one minor problem, though. Every time Weston and I fought, we somehow wound up in bed.
353 pages, ebook
First published July 13, 2020
About the author
Vi Keeland
106 books32.5k followersVi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and
USA Today
Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over one hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-six languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
Stop by and meet Vi in her private reader group on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKee...
Stop by and meet Vi in her private reader group on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKee...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,788 reviews
July 12, 2020
THE RIVALS is LIVE EARLY on Amazon!
Amazon ➜ https://smarturl.it/k8yyex
Apple Books pre-order ➜ http://smarturl.it/g6kldo
B&N ➜ https://smarturl.it/c7ml16
Google Play ➜ https://smarturl.it/513dwo
Kobo ➜ https://smarturl.it/9k7027
Audio pre-order ➜ https://smarturl.it/fpn24w
Paperback pre-order ➜ https://amzn.to/3ekZW8I
✔️ Enemies-to-lovers
✔️ Decades old family feud
✔️ Two wealthy rival families, one opulent hotel inheritance
THE RIVALS is LIVE EARLY on Amazon!
Amazon ➜ https://smarturl.it/k8yyex
Apple Books pre-order ➜ http://smarturl.it/g6kldo
B&N ➜ https://smarturl.it/c7ml16
Google Play ➜ https://smarturl.it/513dwo
Kobo ➜ https://smarturl.it/9k7027
Audio pre-order ➜ https://smarturl.it/fpn24w
Paperback pre-order ➜ https://amzn.to/3ekZW8I
Amazon ➜ https://smarturl.it/k8yyex
Apple Books pre-order ➜ http://smarturl.it/g6kldo
B&N ➜ https://smarturl.it/c7ml16
Google Play ➜ https://smarturl.it/513dwo
Kobo ➜ https://smarturl.it/9k7027
Audio pre-order ➜ https://smarturl.it/fpn24w
Paperback pre-order ➜ https://amzn.to/3ekZW8I
✔️ Enemies-to-lovers
✔️ Decades old family feud
✔️ Two wealthy rival families, one opulent hotel inheritance
THE RIVALS is LIVE EARLY on Amazon!
Amazon ➜ https://smarturl.it/k8yyex
Apple Books pre-order ➜ http://smarturl.it/g6kldo
B&N ➜ https://smarturl.it/c7ml16
Google Play ➜ https://smarturl.it/513dwo
Kobo ➜ https://smarturl.it/9k7027
Audio pre-order ➜ https://smarturl.it/fpn24w
Paperback pre-order ➜ https://amzn.to/3ekZW8I
June 18, 2020
Mark my words, you will read this and come out agreeing with me: This is Vi Keeland's HOTTEST book ever. Not sure there will ever be a hotter one. You're welcome! <3 Can't wait for you to meet Weston Lockwood!
July 16, 2020
***4 STARS***
Vi Keeland does it again in this passionate, enemies-to-lovers romance.
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling are bitter enemies. In fact their families have been enemies for decades since the grandfathers fell out over a woman. Now, Weston and Sophia are working together at the posh hotel The Countess hoping to acquire it for their respected families. Quite the entanglement as to how they came to acquire the hotel and reasons for working together, but nevertheless the are now trying to gain control of the hotel and win the respect of their family heads at the sane time.
Weston was a wonderful hero. I found him charming, boyish at times, witty, sincere, naughty and definitely flawed (which was refreshing). He was not an alpha by my definition but he was protective when needed and jealous as appropriate.
Sophia had to grow on me at first. I found her a little abrasive and over the top with her temper. But she did grow on me and I began to like her spicy nature although I did find her unreasonable at times. Her character was intelligent, independent and comfortable with her sexuality.
Their interactions were intense in and out the bedroom. What starts out as a physical relationship only develops into more. I loved their banter and Weston has a dirty mouth...lol. They have a history that spans years and you really root for their HEA.
Reasons why I didn't give it 5 stars:
Overall this is a great read and I highly recommend. This is a stand-alone romance told from a dual POV. Vi Keeland is always a pre-order author for me and will continue to be so.
Vi Keeland does it again in this passionate, enemies-to-lovers romance.
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling are bitter enemies. In fact their families have been enemies for decades since the grandfathers fell out over a woman. Now, Weston and Sophia are working together at the posh hotel The Countess hoping to acquire it for their respected families. Quite the entanglement as to how they came to acquire the hotel and reasons for working together, but nevertheless the are now trying to gain control of the hotel and win the respect of their family heads at the sane time.
Weston was a wonderful hero. I found him charming, boyish at times, witty, sincere, naughty and definitely flawed (which was refreshing). He was not an alpha by my definition but he was protective when needed and jealous as appropriate.
Sophia had to grow on me at first. I found her a little abrasive and over the top with her temper. But she did grow on me and I began to like her spicy nature although I did find her unreasonable at times. Her character was intelligent, independent and comfortable with her sexuality.
Their interactions were intense in and out the bedroom. What starts out as a physical relationship only develops into more. I loved their banter and Weston has a dirty mouth...lol. They have a history that spans years and you really root for their HEA.
Reasons why I didn't give it 5 stars:
Overall this is a great read and I highly recommend. This is a stand-alone romance told from a dual POV. Vi Keeland is always a pre-order author for me and will continue to be so.
August 22, 2020
this is your classic enemies to lovers story with romeo/juliet-esque vibes with feuding families and a forbidden romance. whats not to love?
that being said, im glad the focus of the story was primarily on the developing relationship between sofia and weston. yes, there is drama between the enemy families and competing business rivals, but it doesnt overpower the simple story of a boy and girl falling in love with each other, and i appreciate that.
this story is everything VK does right for the romance genre, so any fan will be pleased with this!
↠ 4 stars
that being said, im glad the focus of the story was primarily on the developing relationship between sofia and weston. yes, there is drama between the enemy families and competing business rivals, but it doesnt overpower the simple story of a boy and girl falling in love with each other, and i appreciate that.
this story is everything VK does right for the romance genre, so any fan will be pleased with this!
↠ 4 stars
January 22, 2022
3.75 Stars
Nice and safe, and I’m marvelling at how much I actually had fun with it! This is a rare occurrence, and that calls for a celebration . . .
I’ve read enough books by VK, including the ones she’s written with PW, to know that they basically just love recycling the same ideas into another one of your run of the mill romances—which honestly is an insult to their talent because these women can effing write!
Naturally, I was apprehensive about this one. But have you seen the cover?? LOOK AT THAT COVER MODEL!! The expression and the way he carried himself, he was practically daring me not to touch the book. And touch I did. In fact, I did more than touching, I DEVOURED IT!
So yeah, I wouldn’t have bothered if it weren’t for the cover. I know, how very superficial of me! 💁♀️
The h falls a bit flat compare to the H who actually has more depth underneath his tall, smart, cocky, and wickedly handsome persona—courtesy of all the sh*t he’s been through that made him enticingly broken and tortured for the musings of us readers who just wanna cuddle him.
The hate aspect is honestly a little iffy considering the reason behind it isn’t of anything real other than they’ve been “conditioned” to hate each other cause their families are rivals. Consequently, I think this speaks for the lack of tension. Still, chemistry and attraction don’t lie. And they have plenty.
I’m not a fan of characters who jump into the casual (hate) sex wagon quickly, but I didn’t mind with these two since they aren’t completely strangers when this book takes place and have actually met .
The banter is seriously the highlight of this book. I was caught between wanting to roll my eyes, blush, and smile bashfully . . .
You will be greeted by the mandatory romance hurdle at about 80%, but for the most part The Rivals is sexy and drama free. The H only has eyes for the h pretty much since the beginning, and he can be thoughtful and sweet when he doesn’t have his head too far up his arse.
Overall, the book may not offer anything out of the ordinary, and I will probably forget all about it in the coming weeks like I did other VK/PW books. However, it’s well executed as far as I’m concerned, and I had a blast listening to the audiobook. I hope you will too.
(Read as an Audiobook)
Nice and safe, and I’m marvelling at how much I actually had fun with it! This is a rare occurrence, and that calls for a celebration . . .
I’ve read enough books by VK, including the ones she’s written with PW, to know that they basically just love recycling the same ideas into another one of your run of the mill romances—which honestly is an insult to their talent because these women can effing write!
Naturally, I was apprehensive about this one. But have you seen the cover?? LOOK AT THAT COVER MODEL!! The expression and the way he carried himself, he was practically daring me not to touch the book. And touch I did. In fact, I did more than touching, I DEVOURED IT!
So yeah, I wouldn’t have bothered if it weren’t for the cover. I know, how very superficial of me! 💁♀️
I mean, for a book that lacks originality, the least it could do is have a gorgeous cover and a decent storyline—which The Rivals had totally accomplished!
The h falls a bit flat compare to the H who actually has more depth underneath his tall, smart, cocky, and wickedly handsome persona—courtesy of all the sh*t he’s been through that made him enticingly broken and tortured for the musings of us readers who just wanna cuddle him.
The hate aspect is honestly a little iffy considering the reason behind it isn’t of anything real other than they’ve been “conditioned” to hate each other cause their families are rivals. Consequently, I think this speaks for the lack of tension. Still, chemistry and attraction don’t lie. And they have plenty.
I’m not a fan of characters who jump into the casual (hate) sex wagon quickly, but I didn’t mind with these two since they aren’t completely strangers when this book takes place and have actually met .
The banter is seriously the highlight of this book. I was caught between wanting to roll my eyes, blush, and smile bashfully . . .
You will be greeted by the mandatory romance hurdle at about 80%, but for the most part The Rivals is sexy and drama free. The H only has eyes for the h pretty much since the beginning, and he can be thoughtful and sweet when he doesn’t have his head too far up his arse.
Overall, the book may not offer anything out of the ordinary, and I will probably forget all about it in the coming weeks like I did other VK/PW books. However, it’s well executed as far as I’m concerned, and I had a blast listening to the audiobook. I hope you will too.
(Read as an Audiobook)
July 10, 2020
THE RIVALS Is a full length romance book by Vi Keeland. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'
✔️ Enemies-to-lovers
✔️ Decades old family feud
✔️ Two wealthy rival families, one opulent hotel inheritance
Oh my gosh!! I inhaled this one, this captured me from the first page, and the giggles erupted from that point onwards. This was such a laugh out loud, all the feels kind of book. This is probably one of my favourites by this author to date. I loved everything about it and wouldn't change a thing. The banter, the hate to love you but love to hate you romps, and everything in between had me swooning at this authors feet!! I had a goofy smile on my face the whole time reading this, an easy peasy 5 star rating from me..
I can't wait for you guys to meet Weston Lockwook, our gorgeous alpha hero, he's cunning, and quick with the dirty talk, don't be fooled by what you see on the outside because delve deeper and this guy is carrying a lot of baggage which endeared me to him even more so.
Sophia Sterling is trying to prove to her family her father especially that she's the right fit for managing the families hotel empire, just as well as any man can. And with her failed relationship behind her she was happy to jump ship and put her all into the families business.
These two are mortal enemies which spans a generation, since their respective grandfathers fought over a woman. And it looks like the feud is going to carry on, going by their barbed-wire jabs and taunts but underneath all that these two had such compelling chemistry, tip toeing a fine line between love and hate.
ℑ'𝔪 𝔰𝔬𝔯𝔯𝔶 ℑ 𝔧𝔲𝔡𝔤𝔢𝔡 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔰𝔬 𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔶 𝔶𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔤𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔨𝔫𝔬𝔴 𝔶𝔬𝔲.
𝔘𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔩𝔢 𝔢𝔵𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔴𝔢𝔞𝔯 𝔰𝔬 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔡𝔩𝔶 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔪𝔞𝔫.
July 27, 2020
3,5 okay ⭐️s
First of all let's all take a moment to just look at this glorious cover
really
And then, a minute of silent contentment because believe it or not, VK wrote a book without unnecessary drama
Now, yes, no unnecessary drama is great and enemies to lovers is the BEST trope out there, so naturally this should be amazing, but sadly it wasn't.
This is the story of Sophia Sterling and Weston Lockwood and how they hate each other because... I'm not really sure.
So the families are rivals in the hospitality business, and have been that way for more than half a century because of a woman that was in love with both the grandfathers and refused to choose between them. That woman is dead and left her hotel The Countess to both of them, each 49% and then 2% went to charity. Naturally both are out to outbid each other for the 2% to have controlling shares and push the other out, so they each send theirbest soldier grandchild to manage the hotel, while they assess the hotel value and whatnot.
Apparently, Sophia and Weston hate each other but they really don't have any reason to, tbh. Other than their families being rivals, they haven't even seen each other in 12 years, and the last time they saw each other ended in plenty of orgasms for both. So why the hate??
And if we're going into details, Weston was smitten from the very first page, he has never ever hated Sophia and his love/desire for her were apparent from the very first chapter!!
Sophia really dislikes him and yet her only excuses are arrogant, big ego, hot and enemy of my family. That got old real quick, my friends.
Like he never bullied her, never humiliated her, quite the contrary, always looked out for her so the enemies aspect here was really just not it.
The lack of real enemies to lovers vibes sadly affected the tension for me.
I mean, yes they're hot together, their chemistry is explosive and you really feel it.
But it's just that, desire, even their buildup is not really one of hate, they barely fight or exchange barbs. They tell you they hate each other and that they're hate fucking but really they're just fucking period.
Aside from that, as I said, they're hot, their banter is fun and I enjoyed those parts and they made me smile.
I couldn't really connect to Sophia, and she's not a memorable character. In fact, I already have trouble remembering her lol
But Weston. I felt for him and I really loved him. He's so broken, so lost and so sweet.
My poor baby, they really hurt him and he really deserves a lot of hugs and tons of love. He totally gave me .
He also might be a vampire, I think. I can't count the times he commented on her creamy neck and the creamy column of her throat that he wants to bite. It was kinda weird but I decided in my mind that it looks like this (i put the sexy gif under a spoiler tag so it won't offend sensitive souls).
Overall, this was still a decent read. So I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for something fun, sexy with a little emotions on the side.
“Tell me what you want.”
“You,” I said. “I want you.”
Weston smiled. “Well, that’s easy. You had me from the very start.”
First of all let's all take a moment to just look at this glorious cover
really
And then, a minute of silent contentment because believe it or not, VK wrote a book without unnecessary drama
Now, yes, no unnecessary drama is great and enemies to lovers is the BEST trope out there, so naturally this should be amazing, but sadly it wasn't.
This is the story of Sophia Sterling and Weston Lockwood and how they hate each other because... I'm not really sure.
So the families are rivals in the hospitality business, and have been that way for more than half a century because of a woman that was in love with both the grandfathers and refused to choose between them. That woman is dead and left her hotel The Countess to both of them, each 49% and then 2% went to charity. Naturally both are out to outbid each other for the 2% to have controlling shares and push the other out, so they each send their
Apparently, Sophia and Weston hate each other but they really don't have any reason to, tbh. Other than their families being rivals, they haven't even seen each other in 12 years, and the last time they saw each other ended in plenty of orgasms for both. So why the hate??
And if we're going into details, Weston was smitten from the very first page, he has never ever hated Sophia and his love/desire for her were apparent from the very first chapter!!
Sophia really dislikes him and yet her only excuses are arrogant, big ego, hot and enemy of my family. That got old real quick, my friends.
Like he never bullied her, never humiliated her, quite the contrary, always looked out for her so the enemies aspect here was really just not it.
The lack of real enemies to lovers vibes sadly affected the tension for me.
I mean, yes they're hot together, their chemistry is explosive and you really feel it.
But it's just that, desire, even their buildup is not really one of hate, they barely fight or exchange barbs. They tell you they hate each other and that they're hate fucking but really they're just fucking period.
Aside from that, as I said, they're hot, their banter is fun and I enjoyed those parts and they made me smile.
I couldn't really connect to Sophia, and she's not a memorable character. In fact, I already have trouble remembering her lol
But Weston. I felt for him and I really loved him. He's so broken, so lost and so sweet.
“I was never the prince of the Lockwood family. They only had me for spare parts.”
My poor baby, they really hurt him and he really deserves a lot of hugs and tons of love. He totally gave me .
"Sophia wouldn’t get hurt, since she was the tornado, and they tended to move on quickly. It was the volcano that sat around dormant for years on end."
He also might be a vampire, I think. I can't count the times he commented on her creamy neck and the creamy column of her throat that he wants to bite. It was kinda weird but I decided in my mind that it looks like this (i put the sexy gif under a spoiler tag so it won't offend sensitive souls).
Overall, this was still a decent read. So I'd recommend it if you're in the mood for something fun, sexy with a little emotions on the side.
Read
July 16, 2020Ok now this sounds interesting and all her books do. And the cover never a fail.
BUT does this have the dreaded EX DRAMA in it wether alive or dead (Doesn’t matter to me) and the Hero is somehow not over it??? BUT If it does and it’s the Heroine with the ex drama I’m all for it.
Just plain boredom. I skimmed so much. Because I honestly was left thinking is this really all it is. Sofia was annoying she said one thing and even though it but did different. The enemy thing was a joke, the guy right from the start got her dropping panties, she had no self control and I guess that’s suppose to be the case in this book but for me it didn’t work. I never liked the hero. So how can I read on if I couldn’t stand both of them.
And that epilogue was a joke.like I barely got thru the book to get a proposal. I know some people don’t mind those but they do nothing for me.
BUT does this have the dreaded EX DRAMA in it wether alive or dead (Doesn’t matter to me) and the Hero is somehow not over it??? BUT If it does and it’s the Heroine with the ex drama I’m all for it.
Just plain boredom. I skimmed so much. Because I honestly was left thinking is this really all it is. Sofia was annoying she said one thing and even though it but did different. The enemy thing was a joke, the guy right from the start got her dropping panties, she had no self control and I guess that’s suppose to be the case in this book but for me it didn’t work. I never liked the hero. So how can I read on if I couldn’t stand both of them.
And that epilogue was a joke.like I barely got thru the book to get a proposal. I know some people don’t mind those but they do nothing for me.
March 11, 2022
I went in for enemies to lovers trope but there was no "enemies" part. :/
July 13, 2020
5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling both grew up wealthy to family's that were two of the most successful hotel owners in the United States. Although they might attend the same schools and travel in the same social circles, their families were always at war because of a feud that dated back half a century. It all started when their grandfathers fell in love with the same woman. They were best friends, and business partners who held a grudge and continued it with each generation. Despising one another had become a tradition, where they were raised to hate one another.
When the woman who the feud is over passes away and leaves her luxury hotel to both grandfathers, Weston and Sophia are sent to New York to help with the transition and look after and manage everything. Both families jointly own the hotel, but both want control. In the meantime they will be running it together, and have to figure a way to play nice. The problem is they clash at every turn. They've had a love/hate relationship for years, and are like fire and ice, but the one thing they had in common was the love of the hotel business. It was in their blood.
Constantly at war, Weston gets on her last nerve. He's an arrogant playboy who enjoys pushing her buttons, but every time they get angry things heat up between them. He was positively sinful, but she still knew she needed to stay professional and keep her distance. Absolutely no good could come from the intense craziness between them, but soon their mutual attraction becomes overwhelming. It's a bad idea, but once sparks ignite, they form a connection, and the push and pull between them is too hard to resist.
Neither can let their emotions get in the way of business, and have to figure out how to untangle this mess they've inherited. Destined to despise each other before they were even born, can a Lockwood and a Sterling ever put aside their differences? When two competitors realize they've gone from loathing to something real things turn complicated.
The Rivals by Vi Keeland is a sexy, standalone, contemporary enemies to lovers romance full of angst, humor, undeniable chemistry, fantastic banter, and unexpected love. I adored this story!!! It was an easy five stars for me, and yet again reminded me why I love this author's writing so much! Vi Keeland delivers a delicious rivalry with all the feels!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3iTYAVr
(ARC provided by author)
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling both grew up wealthy to family's that were two of the most successful hotel owners in the United States. Although they might attend the same schools and travel in the same social circles, their families were always at war because of a feud that dated back half a century. It all started when their grandfathers fell in love with the same woman. They were best friends, and business partners who held a grudge and continued it with each generation. Despising one another had become a tradition, where they were raised to hate one another.
When the woman who the feud is over passes away and leaves her luxury hotel to both grandfathers, Weston and Sophia are sent to New York to help with the transition and look after and manage everything. Both families jointly own the hotel, but both want control. In the meantime they will be running it together, and have to figure a way to play nice. The problem is they clash at every turn. They've had a love/hate relationship for years, and are like fire and ice, but the one thing they had in common was the love of the hotel business. It was in their blood.
Constantly at war, Weston gets on her last nerve. He's an arrogant playboy who enjoys pushing her buttons, but every time they get angry things heat up between them. He was positively sinful, but she still knew she needed to stay professional and keep her distance. Absolutely no good could come from the intense craziness between them, but soon their mutual attraction becomes overwhelming. It's a bad idea, but once sparks ignite, they form a connection, and the push and pull between them is too hard to resist.
Neither can let their emotions get in the way of business, and have to figure out how to untangle this mess they've inherited. Destined to despise each other before they were even born, can a Lockwood and a Sterling ever put aside their differences? When two competitors realize they've gone from loathing to something real things turn complicated.
The Rivals by Vi Keeland is a sexy, standalone, contemporary enemies to lovers romance full of angst, humor, undeniable chemistry, fantastic banter, and unexpected love. I adored this story!!! It was an easy five stars for me, and yet again reminded me why I love this author's writing so much! Vi Keeland delivers a delicious rivalry with all the feels!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3iTYAVr
August 24, 2020
Sorprendentemente me gustó.
Tenía bastante tiempo que no disfrutaba de un libro de Vi Keeland ya había perdido las esperanzas con ella y este lo leí con cero expectativas y porque no tenía nada que leer.
Pero fue mucho mejor de lo que esperaba además que Vi no uso la misma fórmula con la que ya estaba casada y que ya me aburría, estamos hablando de dual pov´s presente ella-pasado él y ex from hell con una historia trágica bastante evidente.
Este libro también es dual pov´s pero todos son en presente y la mayoría son narrados por ella y eso hace que le de una aura más de misterio al protagonista.
Es un enemies to lovers divertido, con sexo de odio y otro no tanto y algo de drama.
Sophia me gustó en la mayor parte del libro excepto casi al final se hizo mucho del rogar y Weston ME ENCANTÓ, es que si es sexy as fuck, es dulce, tierno, divertido y con dirty talk que no puede faltar.
Lo que más me gustó de él era su vulnerabilidad lo que lo hizo más humano, tenía muchos defectos y cometí errores, vivía con culpa pero siempre esforzándose por ser mejor.
Los primer 65% del libro estaba demasiado picada me estaba gustando mucho después bajó bastante la intensidad pero aun así no mis ganas de terminar aunque el único pero que le pongo es al epílogo yo lo quería más bonito.
Tenía bastante tiempo que no disfrutaba de un libro de Vi Keeland ya había perdido las esperanzas con ella y este lo leí con cero expectativas y porque no tenía nada que leer.
Pero fue mucho mejor de lo que esperaba además que Vi no uso la misma fórmula con la que ya estaba casada y que ya me aburría, estamos hablando de dual pov´s presente ella-pasado él y ex from hell con una historia trágica bastante evidente.
Este libro también es dual pov´s pero todos son en presente y la mayoría son narrados por ella y eso hace que le de una aura más de misterio al protagonista.
Es un enemies to lovers divertido, con sexo de odio y otro no tanto y algo de drama.
Sophia me gustó en la mayor parte del libro excepto casi al final se hizo mucho del rogar y Weston ME ENCANTÓ, es que si es sexy as fuck, es dulce, tierno, divertido y con dirty talk que no puede faltar.
Lo que más me gustó de él era su vulnerabilidad lo que lo hizo más humano, tenía muchos defectos y cometí errores, vivía con culpa pero siempre esforzándose por ser mejor.
Los primer 65% del libro estaba demasiado picada me estaba gustando mucho después bajó bastante la intensidad pero aun así no mis ganas de terminar aunque el único pero que le pongo es al epílogo yo lo quería más bonito.
July 16, 2020
*** 3.5 Stars ***
I haven't been able to get past Vi Keeland's books samples lately. Therefore I went into this walking on eggshells. 😬😬😬 So, colour me surprised when I couldn't stop reading it! 🥳🤩
Not a life-changing story, but I had so much fun!
Very entertaining!
I haven't been able to get past Vi Keeland's books samples lately. Therefore I went into this walking on eggshells. 😬😬😬 So, colour me surprised when I couldn't stop reading it! 🥳🤩
Not a life-changing story, but I had so much fun!
Very entertaining!
Read
July 16, 2020What a shame...
A total DNF for me, which is a shocker coming from Vi Keeland but I was truly disappointed...
A total DNF for me, which is a shocker coming from Vi Keeland but I was truly disappointed...
July 20, 2020
*****4.5 Stars*****
Read
September 21, 2020Okay, this is not exactly a review of the book, but rather something that has been happening to me for some time now and i don't know, i wanted to get it off my chest, guys, don't judge me, it's just another one of my personal opinions.
To be honest, lately, i and the romance genre don't get along as well as we used to, especially with NA books.
I have indeed read very good books with stories that have made me completely fall in love, and i love to read many genres.
I don't know, maybe he's going through a reader block. I don't know but before i could read romance books often and maybe i didn't like all of them, but i enjoyed them more, now with two books i read often i have enough, and it's not that i read the great number of books in this genre before.
currently, they seem to me to be the same old story, predictable and with the same cliché characters. The typical protagonists, to me these books are no longer affecting me emotionally as before, i feel the stories are very superficial, flat, and without a lack of depth in many things, and i am not only talking about this book but other previous books that i have read as well. I'm not saying that everyone is completely equal and that they are trash and i don't mean that I'm going to stop reading romance, because i might find a special book, or i might later reconcile myself to this genre and start reading many NA books again.
I just know that i keep trying, but no, i don't get hooked on the story, i don't connect with the characters, bores me, if it doesn't go to DNF sometimes i even skip chapters and it doesn't seem fair to qualify this reading because the truth is that i read it without being present in the story. I don't enjoy it as much as i used to.
So, yes, that's what i wanted to say.
To be honest, lately, i and the romance genre don't get along as well as we used to, especially with NA books.
I have indeed read very good books with stories that have made me completely fall in love, and i love to read many genres.
I don't know, maybe he's going through a reader block. I don't know but before i could read romance books often and maybe i didn't like all of them, but i enjoyed them more, now with two books i read often i have enough, and it's not that i read the great number of books in this genre before.
currently, they seem to me to be the same old story, predictable and with the same cliché characters. The typical protagonists, to me these books are no longer affecting me emotionally as before, i feel the stories are very superficial, flat, and without a lack of depth in many things, and i am not only talking about this book but other previous books that i have read as well. I'm not saying that everyone is completely equal and that they are trash and i don't mean that I'm going to stop reading romance, because i might find a special book, or i might later reconcile myself to this genre and start reading many NA books again.
I just know that i keep trying, but no, i don't get hooked on the story, i don't connect with the characters, bores me, if it doesn't go to DNF sometimes i even skip chapters and it doesn't seem fair to qualify this reading because the truth is that i read it without being present in the story. I don't enjoy it as much as i used to.
So, yes, that's what i wanted to say.
July 13, 2020
LIVE https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CT46BJ...
<3 5 STARS <3
This was a fun and sexy read, I enjoy it a lot!I liked the beginning I had a smile on my face and I loved their interactions!They have a great chemistry and there were some really steamy moments!
I loved Sophia because she was fiesty and strong, I could easily relate to her!I loved Weston, he was cocky and sexy!He was protective to her!I adored them together!
This was a great romance , perfect summer read!
<3 5 STARS <3
This was a fun and sexy read, I enjoy it a lot!I liked the beginning I had a smile on my face and I loved their interactions!They have a great chemistry and there were some really steamy moments!
I loved Sophia because she was fiesty and strong, I could easily relate to her!I loved Weston, he was cocky and sexy!He was protective to her!I adored them together!
This was a great romance , perfect summer read!
July 12, 2020
Sophia and Weston.
Grandkids of former best friends turned enemies. Rivals.
The families have hated each other for decades.
And even though they joined the family hate, Sophia and Weston didn't really always hate each other. There was that one night twelve years ago...
But now it's back to hate and ... working together!
Both families have each inherited half a hotel and the two grandkids have to run it together.
Let the fun times begin!
What will happen to Sophia + Weston?
Will there be a HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺
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ADORABLE!!
This was a really cute and fun and very sexy enemies to lovers romance!
I really enjoyed reading it.
There's really not much more I want to say. It was cute and funny and sparky and very sexy.
Weston is adorable. He has some sad things from his past that he's still not worked through ... but he's getting there. And Sophia just came out of a relationship - she's not sure if she's ready for something serious. And Weston doesn't do serious anyway, plus they're supposed to be enemies. But of course the heart wants what the heart wants. Lol. Really adorable.
There wasn't much - or any - over the top drama. I really liked that.
But at the same time, other than very many(aka even for me, a few too many) sexy moments, there wasn't much happening ... it was just a cute and fun and sexy enemies to lovers romance that just cruised along at a comfortable pace - to read on a rainy day on your couch with a cocktail or hot chocolate. Ugh, I'm weird. This sounds like it was a really bad book. It wasn't. I really liked it. I liked the whole hotel vibe and the sparks and banter. I just wished for a bit more excitement and more details or something.
A tiny thing that bothered me. I don't know if Vi joined a new writer's class or something, but suddenly she used a new expression. Mega over-used it to be exact. The word THOUGH. At the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma or without the comma. I counted over FIFTY of those sentence beginners. I don't understand how an editor could leave those all in there. So very weird and ridiculous. There are so many ways you can start a sentence other than THOUGH. But that's just me. LOL!
Another thing ... we all know that Vi and Penelope's covers are always amazing. Beautiful. And this one is just perfect too. BUT ... it bothers me a tiny bit that this picture is so old. I've had this pic of Tobias on my computer for the last seven years at least. I always used to post it when people kept asking how they wanted Christian Grey to look - or who should play him in a movie. It was one of the only good suited-guy pictures on the internet back then.
So, those are just a couple tiny little things that bothered me. And just me - I'm weird.☺
THE RIVALS was a fun & sexy enemies-to-lovers romance! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Weston - this one is MINE!! ☺
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![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1593184464i/98245866._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
July 13, 2020
3.5 stars, rounded up: If you love banter, you need to read this for the outstanding, witty dialogue alone. You really shouldn’t read it for the plot - or lack thereof. Instead, the book focuses on character/relationship development which I actually liked about it.
So why the 3.5 stars? For one thing, I found the whole premise of the family rivalry/enmity not entirely convincing, Sophia’s supposed hatred towards Weston at the beginning feels exaggerated, undeserved, unnecessarily antagonistic and not genuine to me. Maybe because we don’t get to see how they treated each other growing up? As it is, apart from sending her to the wrong place for a meeting, most of the time she seems to be the asshole she accuses him of being. (There’s a thin line between cocky and being an asshole, in my opinion.) I didn’t really connect with Sophia throughout the book, but I did like the depth of Weston’s character a lot. The latter actually made Sophia’s character appear rather flat.
Another thing that more than bothered me as it lacked verisimilitude, in my opinion, is Weston leaving in the middle of the all-too-foreseeable and preventable 80%-progress complication that is often mandatory in romance novels (for whatever reason). They managed to communicate their emotions – even when insulting one another in between – really well up to the aforementioned 80%-marker; I actually appreciated the lack of drama up to that point at lot, so it doesn’t make sense to me that an unnecessarily kept secret needed to become this major issue.
Still, if I had the choice all over again I would still read this. I am just a sucker for good banter.
Adult content: 18+!
So why the 3.5 stars? For one thing, I found the whole premise of the family rivalry/enmity not entirely convincing, Sophia’s supposed hatred towards Weston at the beginning feels exaggerated, undeserved, unnecessarily antagonistic and not genuine to me. Maybe because we don’t get to see how they treated each other growing up? As it is, apart from sending her to the wrong place for a meeting, most of the time she seems to be the asshole she accuses him of being. (There’s a thin line between cocky and being an asshole, in my opinion.) I didn’t really connect with Sophia throughout the book, but I did like the depth of Weston’s character a lot. The latter actually made Sophia’s character appear rather flat.
Another thing that more than bothered me as it lacked verisimilitude, in my opinion, is Weston leaving in the middle of the all-too-foreseeable and preventable 80%-progress complication that is often mandatory in romance novels (for whatever reason). They managed to communicate their emotions – even when insulting one another in between – really well up to the aforementioned 80%-marker; I actually appreciated the lack of drama up to that point at lot, so it doesn’t make sense to me that an unnecessarily kept secret needed to become this major issue.
Still, if I had the choice all over again I would still read this. I am just a sucker for good banter.
Adult content: 18+!
December 27, 2021
Klasik Vi kitabı. Yazarın tarzını çok sevdiğim için severek okudum.
Ama kitabın Türkçe baskısını alacak kişilere tavsiyem, okuyabiliyorsanız orijinal okuyun. Çeviriden o kadar rahatsız oldum ki kıt kanaat İngilizcemle, orijinalle karşılaştırarak okudum. Üstüste tekrar eden kelime kullanımları (yazar 3 ayrı kelime kullanmasına rağmen), orijinalde olmayan gereksiz eklemeler, yanlış kelime çevirileri… Bunlara ek olarak, bugüne kadar okuduğum en mekanik, en dümdüz, en Google Translate vari Vi çevirisiydi. Son dönemde en az sorun yaşadığım yayınevi Yabancı Yayınları olmasına rağmen, bu çeviri cidden beni çok üzdü. Hevesle beklediğim Vi kitabının keyfine limon sıkıldı🥺😢
July 20, 2020
3 Stars
Mild Spoilers
Not too bad. I liked the overall book, but I think it was just missing something to make me actually enjoy it. I felt like they both just came on too strong and a bit aggressive, especially the heroine. They were always bantering then fighting, then straight to sex, and we never got any good sexual tension, or just tension period. I definitely needed more emotion and actual conversations or something to make me feel more for them too. Maybe even flashbacks with them together or flashbacks with the hero's sister, or even more conversations with their families. I don't really know exactly but this book definitely needed something different instead of just fighting then sex all the time.
I also didn't care for the BDSM part of their relationship. I normally don't mind it, but it seemed too forced here, and it happened too often. There was also a lot of talk of it but the actual sex never really lived up to it. It was just odd for this specific couple.
Overall, this was a decent book. It didn't totally entertain me, and I was bored at a couple of points, but I am in a book slump and nothing seems to be doing it for me lately, so this may be more of a "it's me, not the book" type of situation. The heroine was okay, I liked the hero more, but nothing really special about them IMO. I do like how there was zero OW drama though. There was actually more OM drama which I'm all for, and any parts with the hero being jealous were the most entertaining for me, so I'm definitely here for that. Hopefully Keeland starts to write more books like this one now though, with less OW drama, and maybe some more OM drama. It would be definitely a nice change for her and I will for sure read it.
Mild Spoilers
Not too bad. I liked the overall book, but I think it was just missing something to make me actually enjoy it. I felt like they both just came on too strong and a bit aggressive, especially the heroine. They were always bantering then fighting, then straight to sex, and we never got any good sexual tension, or just tension period. I definitely needed more emotion and actual conversations or something to make me feel more for them too. Maybe even flashbacks with them together or flashbacks with the hero's sister, or even more conversations with their families. I don't really know exactly but this book definitely needed something different instead of just fighting then sex all the time.
I also didn't care for the BDSM part of their relationship. I normally don't mind it, but it seemed too forced here, and it happened too often. There was also a lot of talk of it but the actual sex never really lived up to it. It was just odd for this specific couple.
Overall, this was a decent book. It didn't totally entertain me, and I was bored at a couple of points, but I am in a book slump and nothing seems to be doing it for me lately, so this may be more of a "it's me, not the book" type of situation. The heroine was okay, I liked the hero more, but nothing really special about them IMO. I do like how there was zero OW drama though. There was actually more OM drama which I'm all for, and any parts with the hero being jealous were the most entertaining for me, so I'm definitely here for that. Hopefully Keeland starts to write more books like this one now though, with less OW drama, and maybe some more OM drama. It would be definitely a nice change for her and I will for sure read it.
August 17, 2020
3.5/4 stars
It's_not_hoarding_if_it's_books Ig page
Vi Keeland is either a hit or a miss for me. Very often I have so many issues with her heroines, they are either snobby, arrogant, over the top drama queens or too dumb.
This book seemed to me like a retelling of Romeo and Juliet . Decades old family feud , the rivalry between the Lockwoods and the Sterlings started over 60 years ago because of a love triangle and continues to these days. When this two families inherit 49% shares each of an opulent hotel together, one representative of each family comes to take over their half until one of the families will outbid the other for the 2 % left.
For the Sterlings comes Sophia , a young woman who wants to prove herself to the men in her family that she can run their hotels empire as well as any man can (mostly her half brother)
For the Lockwood family comes Weston , he as well needs to prove to his family that he has changed from his destructive ways and can be counted on.
This two have history together, a history of taunts and avoidance mostly. If you came to read this book for the witty banter and hilarious comebacks you are in the right place.
I had a hard time connecting with Sophia in the beginning of the book. She gave me the impression that her hatred and reactions towards Weston had no ground ground or reason, she was antagonistic, mean and she exaggerated so much. She grown on me towards the end of the book when she realized that you cannot judge a person before you know them.Also I hated that she allowed her father to treat her like he did.
Weston was a total alpha bad boy , protective and hot. I really liked him and his sincerity (up to a point) and his Shakespeare quotes sooo hilarious.
“Okay…but like Shakespeare said, It’s better to have fucked and lost, than never to have fucked at all.”
They had really good chemistry, and the hate fucks were hot , really hot.
" “Screw You!” I screamed.
He moved closer, and his fingers dug deeper into my hip,
“We're finally on the same page”."
“I’m going to fuck the nice out of you.”
Overall an entertaining read, but not something I ll be talking about for weeks and weeks.
It's_not_hoarding_if_it's_books Ig page
Vi Keeland is either a hit or a miss for me. Very often I have so many issues with her heroines, they are either snobby, arrogant, over the top drama queens or too dumb.
This book seemed to me like a retelling of Romeo and Juliet . Decades old family feud , the rivalry between the Lockwoods and the Sterlings started over 60 years ago because of a love triangle and continues to these days. When this two families inherit 49% shares each of an opulent hotel together, one representative of each family comes to take over their half until one of the families will outbid the other for the 2 % left.
For the Sterlings comes Sophia , a young woman who wants to prove herself to the men in her family that she can run their hotels empire as well as any man can (mostly her half brother)
For the Lockwood family comes Weston , he as well needs to prove to his family that he has changed from his destructive ways and can be counted on.
This two have history together, a history of taunts and avoidance mostly. If you came to read this book for the witty banter and hilarious comebacks you are in the right place.
I had a hard time connecting with Sophia in the beginning of the book. She gave me the impression that her hatred and reactions towards Weston had no ground ground or reason, she was antagonistic, mean and she exaggerated so much. She grown on me towards the end of the book when she realized that you cannot judge a person before you know them.Also I hated that she allowed her father to treat her like he did.
Weston was a total alpha bad boy , protective and hot. I really liked him and his sincerity (up to a point) and his Shakespeare quotes sooo hilarious.
“Okay…but like Shakespeare said, It’s better to have fucked and lost, than never to have fucked at all.”
They had really good chemistry, and the hate fucks were hot , really hot.
" “Screw You!” I screamed.
He moved closer, and his fingers dug deeper into my hip,
“We're finally on the same page”."
“I’m going to fuck the nice out of you.”
Overall an entertaining read, but not something I ll be talking about for weeks and weeks.
June 14, 2023
If you think this cover is hot wait until you read Vi Keeland’s sexiest book to date. I loved this story so much!!! Spoiler-free review to follow!
Update:
Pack your bags. You're going on a sexy trip to The Countess hotel, with Weston and Sophia. Holy hell, The Rivals, by Vi Keeland, is downright addictive and seductive! This book is unputdownable. The Rivals is everything that you want in a romance - a solid story, fantastic characters, combustible attraction, and flirty fun. The Rivals is Vi's sexist book to date. I love it when Vi spices things up, and spicy definitely works for Weston and Sophia. I think she took this one to ghost pepper habanero spice level! This rivals-to-lovers romance is dirty, sexy, perfection peppered with a little sweet fun. I can't give enough love to Vi's books. The Rivals is going on my best of 2020 romance book list. July 13th release.
July 16, 2020
i know i said i would never read another book by her or pw but the “enemies to lovers” caught my eye & yk i’m a weak whore for that.
anyways i was right to write their stuff off considering this was... a big ass headache. nothing original at all. the heroine is weird & just angry all the time (i love a hothead but she was flipping back & forth a lot & it came off like very fake idk?) & the hero as always is a walking std w/rocks mixed with worms for brains, a misogynist & is like 35 but acts like a horny, 16 y/o who just discovered he has a dick. their interactions were irritating & cringe as hell.
anyway lmao. i mean i loved stuck up suit back in the day but this formulaic style has truly run its course & dug itself into a grave.
anyways i was right to write their stuff off considering this was... a big ass headache. nothing original at all. the heroine is weird & just angry all the time (i love a hothead but she was flipping back & forth a lot & it came off like very fake idk?) & the hero as always is a walking std w/rocks mixed with worms for brains, a misogynist & is like 35 but acts like a horny, 16 y/o who just discovered he has a dick. their interactions were irritating & cringe as hell.
anyway lmao. i mean i loved stuck up suit back in the day but this formulaic style has truly run its course & dug itself into a grave.
July 16, 2020
3.5 stars
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling have been hating each other since they were born as it have been continuing since past two generations, except their hate lines blurred when they slept with each other. Now ten years later forced to work together, their bitter rivalry pouring generations of hate but their bodies have not forgotten that overwhelming attraction.
There are so many sexy moments here especially hate fucking. Weston and Sophia are just waiting to explode. I didn't enjoy this enemies-to-lovers romance as much as I thought. I experienced Weston's personality depth but I couldn't connect with Sophia but both characters are likeable.
There is fun, humor, sexy banter, hot sex and a little emotional talk. This book is worth a read.
Weston Lockwood and Sophia Sterling have been hating each other since they were born as it have been continuing since past two generations, except their hate lines blurred when they slept with each other. Now ten years later forced to work together, their bitter rivalry pouring generations of hate but their bodies have not forgotten that overwhelming attraction.
There are so many sexy moments here especially hate fucking. Weston and Sophia are just waiting to explode. I didn't enjoy this enemies-to-lovers romance as much as I thought. I experienced Weston's personality depth but I couldn't connect with Sophia but both characters are likeable.
There is fun, humor, sexy banter, hot sex and a little emotional talk. This book is worth a read.
July 20, 2020
Still not over the heat wave.
April 6, 2021
There's not a single Vi Keeland book I haven't devoured because from the very beginning she knows how to hook a reader into a story they can’t help but want to inhale. The Rivals was perfection.
➵ Heroine: Sophia Sterling, hotel heiress. A strong, smart, feisty, independent woman who’s determined to show her family she can manage their hotel empire. She moved from London to New York in order to assess the value of a hotel that was left to her grandfather and his bitter rival. She expected to deal with one of the Lockwood’s, she just never expected it to be the man that angered her as much as he turned her on.
➵ Hero: Weston Lockwook, hotel heir. A gorgeous, cocky, protective, cunning, dirty mouthed alpha male who was determined to show his family she could manage their hotel empire. He moved from Las Vegas to New York in order to assess.. sound familiar? The only difference between him and Sophia is that his and his family issues are bigger.
➵ Sexiness: YES! Like the blurb states, these two were fire and ice. Those fights turned sexy times started off amusing and turned incredibly hot, and as the story progressed they turned into fun, sweet, tender moments.
➵ Plot: A modern take on Romeo and Juliet.
➵ Feels: Absolutely. It had been years since a book had made me tear up! I loved Weston’s thoughtfulness towards Sophia. I was elated watching how their relationship turned from physical to a deeply intimate one in which they both opened up to each other revealing secrets and sharing vulnerabilities.
➵ Facts: The Rivals is standalone contemporary romance by Vi Kelland. It's told from both points of view with a swoony happy ending. No OW, no cheating. Other sub-genres: forbidden romance, enemies to lovers.
This one goes straight to my favorites and re-reads shelves!
➵ Overall rating: 5+++
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2CxAJtR
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via Give Me Books Promotions. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Instagram * More reviews
➵ Heroine: Sophia Sterling, hotel heiress. A strong, smart, feisty, independent woman who’s determined to show her family she can manage their hotel empire. She moved from London to New York in order to assess the value of a hotel that was left to her grandfather and his bitter rival. She expected to deal with one of the Lockwood’s, she just never expected it to be the man that angered her as much as he turned her on.
➵ Hero: Weston Lockwook, hotel heir. A gorgeous, cocky, protective, cunning, dirty mouthed alpha male who was determined to show his family she could manage their hotel empire. He moved from Las Vegas to New York in order to assess.. sound familiar? The only difference between him and Sophia is that his and his family issues are bigger.
➵ Sexiness: YES! Like the blurb states, these two were fire and ice. Those fights turned sexy times started off amusing and turned incredibly hot, and as the story progressed they turned into fun, sweet, tender moments.
➵ Plot: A modern take on Romeo and Juliet.
"You’re telling me you’re sleeping with the enemy, like the movie?”
I laughed. “A different kind of enemy. Basically, my family and her family hate each other.”
“But you two get along?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly. Most of the time, she’s about five seconds away from kicking me in the balls.”
His bushy brows dipped down. “I’m confused. So, you’re not sleeping with this girl?”
“No, I am.”
“But she wants to kick you in the balls?”
I smiled. “She does.”
➵ Feels: Absolutely. It had been years since a book had made me tear up! I loved Weston’s thoughtfulness towards Sophia. I was elated watching how their relationship turned from physical to a deeply intimate one in which they both opened up to each other revealing secrets and sharing vulnerabilities.
➵ Facts: The Rivals is standalone contemporary romance by Vi Kelland. It's told from both points of view with a swoony happy ending. No OW, no cheating. Other sub-genres: forbidden romance, enemies to lovers.
This one goes straight to my favorites and re-reads shelves!
➵ Overall rating: 5+++
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2CxAJtR
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via Give Me Books Promotions. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Instagram * More reviews
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 9, 2021DNF
This book really isn't enemies-lovers or at least not like the kind I like. I was not going to read this book but... Never mind. Another reason 'the main reason' I didn't like this book was because *dramatic music plays in background* I am not liking romance that much anymore (not surprising). I am liking YA Fantasy so much that I want to read all YA Fantasy out there.I have never liked romantic & action movies, I hate them so much that I do rather get kidnapped by Mafia than see them, but my friends (non-GR) love them & force me each and everytime to watch them. So I was surprised when I liked romance & action books. It's not that I hate romance or something-it's just that I have read it so much that everything has become predictable & I always have a feeling I have read this before. The same is going to happen with action books but till then I will enjoy them. Though I wish when I had read my first book from Amazon-it should have recommended me something from YA instead of romance & since I have been reading romance only (that time I was in mid-teens[hope that's a word]) & now I am in my late teens(explains why I am liking YA Fantasy so much).
This book really isn't enemies-lovers or at least not like the kind I like. I was not going to read this book but... Never mind. Another reason 'the main reason' I didn't like this book was because *dramatic music plays in background* I am not liking romance that much anymore (not surprising). I am liking YA Fantasy so much that I want to read all YA Fantasy out there.I have never liked romantic & action movies, I hate them so much that I do rather get kidnapped by Mafia than see them, but my friends (non-GR) love them & force me each and everytime to watch them. So I was surprised when I liked romance & action books. It's not that I hate romance or something-it's just that I have read it so much that everything has become predictable & I always have a feeling I have read this before. The same is going to happen with action books but till then I will enjoy them. Though I wish when I had read my first book from Amazon-it should have recommended me something from YA instead of romance & since I have been reading romance only (that time I was in mid-teens[hope that's a word]) & now I am in my late teens(explains why I am liking YA Fantasy so much).
January 20, 2023
This was definitely steaming sexy, with a drop of angry and a dash of betrayal and an oversized pinch of misunderstanding. Not bad overall
September 29, 2020
Con The Rivals, Vi Keeland volvio a ganarse mi confianza. Mis ultimas lecturas suyas no han resultado ser tan memorables como las que lei en sus inicios, no se si es porque ha ido perdiendo originalidad o si es porque yo ya busco otra cosa en los romances, sea lo que sea, llevaba un tiempo sin disfrutar completamente de uno de sus trabajos pero con The Rivals recupero todos los puntos que habia perdido.
La historia pese a no ser tener una trama magnifica o hechizante, tiene algo que la hace muy llevadera, tal vez es porque la pareja protagonista tiene muy buena conexion desde el inicio, o quizas es porque la autora hace un muy buen trabajo en plasmar la evolucion de la relacion de Weston y Sofia, sea el motivo que sea, esta novela me sorprendio en el buen sentido, es la clasica lectura que empiezas sin esperar encontrar nada impresionante y que te toma desprevenida al ser mucho mas compleja de lo que parece en un primer momento.
Weston y Sofia me gustaron mucho, siento que ambos son ligeramente diferentes a lo que nos tiene acostumbrada la escritora. El sobre todo me sorprendio, lo esperaba el tipico protagonista vanidoso y prepotente y para nada fue asi, me hubiera gustado que se profundizara mas en su infancia y en el porque de su nacimiento pero lo que conocemos me dejo satisfecha con el.
Con Sofia tambien conecte pronto, es sincera, directa y amable, ademas me encanto que no hiciera dramas innecesarios ni que fuera con juegos, es clara con sus emociones y ese rasgo me gusto.
Finalizando, The Rivals es un romance bonito, con un toque original que me hizo pasar un rato genial, no es la lectura mas profunda o transcendental del mundo pero tampoco es tan simple como parece.
3.75 Estrellas!
January 3, 2023
great narrators but not so great book
there was a LOT of fade to black
there was a LOT of fade to black
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