You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle is a funny and emotional romantic comedy about love, resentment, wedding plans, ridiculous pranks, honesty, and discovering whether a relationship is truly worth saving.

Naomi Westfield is engaged to Nicholas Rose.

From the outside, they look perfect.

There is just one problem.

Naomi cannot stand him anymore.

About You Deserve Each Other

Naomi and Nicholas are only three months away from their wedding.

Their relationship looks happy to everyone else.

Behind closed doors, things are very different.

Naomi wants to end the engagement.

But whoever cancels the wedding must pay the expensive nonrefundable bill.

Then Naomi discovers something important.

Nicholas is unhappy too.

The result is war.

Meet Naomi Westfield

Naomi is frustrated with her relationship.

She feels like she has lost part of herself while trying to become the perfect fiancée.

She is especially tired of pretending everything is fine.

Instead of ending the engagement immediately, she decides to make Nicholas do it first.

That leads to a series of increasingly ridiculous plans.

Meet Nicholas Rose

Nicholas appears to be the perfect fiancé.

He is polite.

Successful.

Well-mannered.

And comes from a respectable family.

But Naomi slowly realizes that Nicholas has also been pretending.

He has frustrations of his own.

Once both characters stop hiding their feelings, their relationship becomes much more interesting.

7 Hilarious Reasons to Read You Deserve Each Other

1. A Reverse Romance

Most romance novels begin with two people meeting.

You Deserve Each Other begins with an engaged couple who already seem tired of each other.

Instead of falling in love for the first time, they have to figure out whether they can fall in love again.

That makes the premise refreshing.

2. Hilarious Prank Wars

Naomi and Nicholas begin trying to annoy each other.

One wants the other to end the engagement first.

The sabotage quickly becomes ridiculous.

The pranks create some of the funniest moments in the book.

3. Lovers-to-Enemies-to-Lovers

This novel uses an unusual version of the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Naomi and Nicholas were already in love.

Then resentment pushed them apart.

Now they have to rediscover why they chose each other in the first place.

4. Excellent Banter

Naomi and Nicholas argue constantly.

Their conversations are sharp.

Competitive.

And frequently hilarious.

Readers who enjoy sarcastic romantic banter may especially enjoy this book.

5. A Relationship That Needs Real Work

The novel does not pretend that love automatically fixes everything.

Naomi and Nicholas have stopped communicating honestly.

They have built resentment.

Both need to change.

Their romance becomes stronger only when they begin behaving like themselves again.

6. Wedding Drama

A wedding is approaching.

Money has already been spent.

Families are involved.

Expectations are high.

That creates pressure on both characters.

The closer the wedding gets, the more important one question becomes.

Should they actually get married?

7. It Has Heart Beneath the Comedy

The prank war is funny.

But underneath it is a story about two people who have forgotten how to communicate.

As Naomi and Nicholas become more honest, the emotional side of the story becomes stronger.

The Engagement Problem

Naomi once loved Nicholas.

Now she believes the relationship has become unbearable.

She wants out.

But cancelling the wedding means accepting a large financial loss.

That creates the central competition.

Make the other person quit first.

Simple.

At least in theory.

The Prank War

Naomi and Nicholas begin testing each other.

Small annoyances become larger.

Each person tries to find the other’s breaking point.

But something unexpected happens.

They start having fun.

For the first time in a long time, they are being honest.

Even if that honesty initially appears through warfare.

Communication

Communication is one of the biggest themes in You Deserve Each Other.

Naomi and Nicholas have spent too much time pretending.

They avoid difficult conversations.

They hide frustration.

They perform the version of themselves they think others expect.

The relationship begins improving only when the pretending stops.

Being Yourself in a Relationship

Naomi has changed herself while trying to fit into Nicholas’s world.

She tries to behave perfectly.

She worries about his family.

She suppresses her real feelings.

Over time, that creates resentment.

The novel shows why maintaining your own identity matters inside a relationship.

Nicholas and Naomi’s Chemistry

Their chemistry becomes stronger once the perfect-couple performance disappears.

They tease each other.

Compete.

Argue.

Laugh.

And gradually become more comfortable.

Ironically, behaving like enemies sometimes makes them feel closer than pretending to be perfect partners.

Second-Chance Romance

The book also works as a second-chance romance.

Naomi and Nicholas are not meeting again after years apart.

They are rediscovering each other while still engaged.

That creates a different type of second chance.

The relationship already exists.

They simply have to decide whether it deserves to survive.

Family Pressure

Nicholas’s family adds another source of tension.

Naomi feels pressure to fit expectations.

Family involvement makes the engagement more complicated.

It also contributes to Naomi feeling like she has lost control over her own life.

Learning to establish boundaries becomes important.

Love Versus Performance

A major idea in the book is the difference between looking happy and actually being happy.

Naomi and Nicholas appear perfect.

They attend events.

Smile.

Plan their wedding.

But appearances hide resentment.

The novel suggests that imperfect honesty can be healthier than perfect appearances.

Moving Into a New Home

Their living situation becomes another turning point.

Away from some of the outside pressure, Naomi and Nicholas begin experiencing each other differently.

Ordinary domestic moments become surprisingly important.

They cook.

Talk.

Spend time together.

And slowly begin behaving more like partners.

Romance and Comedy

You Deserve Each Other balances emotional conflict with comedy.

Some scenes are ridiculous.

Others are surprisingly tender.

That combination prevents the relationship problems from making the story feel constantly heavy.

Who Should Read This Book?

You Deserve Each Other is ideal for readers who enjoy romantic comedy, enemies-to-lovers, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, wedding drama, and witty banter.

It may especially appeal to readers who prefer established-couple romances rather than stories where the characters meet for the first time.

Fans of Christina Lauren and other contemporary rom-com authors may also enjoy its humorous tone.

About Sarah Hogle

Sarah Hogle is a romance author known for funny, unconventional romantic comedies.

Her books include You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, Old Flames and New Fortunes, and The Folklore of Forever.

Readers can learn more through the official Sarah Hogle website.

Product Details

Title: You Deserve Each Other

Author: Sarah Hogle

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy

Language: English

Main Characters: Naomi Westfield and Nicholas Rose

Standalone: Yes

Common Paperback Edition

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

ISBN-13: 9780593085424

Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

Dimensions: Approximately 5½ × 8¼ inches

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