From the Bookshelf of Turning Pages At Midnight…

The Worst Guy (Vital Signs, #2)

Kate Canterbary

Start date: December 28, 2021

Finish date: January 1, 2022

Discussion: Buddy Reads

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* September 2025 Buddy Reads
By Diana · 13 posts · 19 views

last updated Sep 04, 2025 07:25AM

* Want to Read With Me?
By Diana · 126 posts · 63 views

last updated Jun 01, 2025 09:53AM

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What Members Thought

Jan 10, 2022 Diana rated it liked it

Shelves: tpam-challenge-2022, turning-pages-buddy-read

I know I have an unpopular opinion, but the first half of this book was just exhausting. Some of the bantering between Sebastian and Sara was funny, but at times it was just OTT. I should also admit that Enemies to Lovers is not my favorite trope, so that also could be it.

The second half of the story was much better for me. Sebastian and Sara started to actually communicate with each other, and there was so much more to Sara then we knew. Sebastian was sooo swoon worthy, I just adored the heck ...more

27 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2021 Ivy Deluca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Quick(ish) Review 4.5 Stars (with one caveat)

I can always tell how much I love a book by the highlights. When I realized I made 90, well, I definitely loved it, with one HUGE caveat. But let's suss out all my feels, because that's what I do with these rambling reviews. So buckle up, buttercup.

The Good (and there's alot): Sebastian Stremmel is a mensch, a man who can find alot to complain about and certainly not scared of making someone mad. Right now, though, he's at a crossroads. Languishing, Quick(ish) Review 4.5 Stars (with one caveat)

I can always tell how much I love a book by the highlights. When I realized I made 90, well, I definitely loved it, with one HUGE caveat. But let's suss out all my feels, because that's what I do with these rambling reviews. So buckle up, buttercup.

The Good (and there's alot): Sebastian Stremmel is a mensch, a man who can find alot to complain about and certainly not scared of making someone mad. Right now, though, he's at a crossroads. Languishing, if you will, from a sense of ennui. What gets his juices flowing, however, is a good fight. And when he comes up against Dr. Sara Shapiro regarding a patient, sparks fly, glass literally shattered and romance happened.

This enemies-to-lovers romance is solidly written, with characters who are both deeply damaged by their parents in different ways (who isn't, really), and both found different methods to handle their emotions - Stremmel's a grump of the first order and Sara's a hot mess express, picky and prickly (which, ngl most of my favorite heroines are little cactuses), but both are brilliant and that's the joy I get from a Canterbary tale - the characters are never one-dimensional, and the banter is always top notch. Sara and Stremmel are ordered to attend counseling together, which leads to some delicious scenes where they bicker, banter, and eventually get to see behind their defensive postures to realize and appreciate their similarities. Their chemistry is pretty explosive and I loved how their hate sex was truly fueled by their bickering - before, during and after.

For fans of Canterbary's earlier books. you'll definitely know the cast of characters involved in this story, and some intriguing new folks make their debuts. I cannot step away from this without stating that I've had a longstanding silly battle with my blogmates Michelle and Rachel as to who has laid claim to Stremmel first, since we're all longtime readers of the Canterbary books and have done joint reviews on occasion. Since I didn't read the ARC, but am reading this after release, I can now say - neener, neener, he was always mine! I knew Stremmel's grumpy outer layer hid a soft heart, but it's protectiveness that's bumped him right up to the top of the chain of my Canterbary BBFs. I love him and I think Sara's perfect for him.

While I'll say that I struggled a bit with some things (more on that later), Sara's health issue is dealt with responsibly, not brushed aside or magically cured, and I appreciated that it wasn't something that was just in the past. Having said that....

The Bad (kinda): I'm going to start with whether this works as a standalone. I think it can, to an extent, but the group friend here is pretty expansive, and a new reader could get lost keeping track of the relationships, because the supporting characters aren't fleshed out thoroughly for the new reader. Sara doesn't really have a confidante/friend, which while understandable, still keeps her as an island within the story, for the most part. My main concern is the core of Sara's issues center around disordered eating, which is a trigger for me. Now, I always go into a Canterbary book blind, so this is on me. I'm not sure I would have been eager to dive into this if I had known about Sara's backstory. The hints begin in the first half of the book, but there's ALOT more towards the back half and I struggled to stay immersed in the story, for my own mental health. Trying to objectively step back, I can see that the writing is detailed and is necessary for Sara's journey, but it's not something I would have usually dealt with well. Also, once the story shifts to a remote location then returns to Boston, slows down and found myself putting it down more than plowing through. And the ending is pretty tame, even if it's sweet. Didn't hate it, but I did want something more, I think. My feelings are still up in the air on this, so I reserve the right to change my mind. My immediate reaction is more of a Hmph, than a sigh.

The Bottom Line: While this did trigger me, the writing is responsible, and the story is strong. I think there's ALOT here to love, and I would say if you're a fan of enemies to lovers, this trope is done well here. As long as you're good with the issues of disordered eating being featured in this story, you may really love it. ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Dec 28, 2021 Diane (Books and Tequila Blog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: swoony, 5-stars, arc, favorite-authors, sassy-heroine, the-best-supporting-characters, bat, hothothot, banter, enemies-to-lovers

I have been eagerly awaiting this book. As a big fan of a grumbly hero, I was intrigued from very early mentions of the extremely grouchy Sebastian Stremmel.

“I was never the right guy. I was the wrong guy, the douche waffle guy, the egotistical guy, the guy who glared at everyone, the guy who growled instead of speaking.
… I was the worst guy…”

Plastics surgeon, Sara Shapiro despises Dr Stremmel and doesn’t hesitate to let him know. Sparks fly…loud, often and in the most heated way in this enemi ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2024 sashenka 🖤 (hard book slump) rated it it was ok

Shelves: wow-a-not-ceo-dude, fwb, rivals-or-annoyed-to-lovers, romance, workplace, 30-and-older, mental-health

Don't tell me the therapist pat herself on the back after these eight weeks, thinking Oh wow we did a great job with these two because that was the most useless thing in that book. I get that for the plot, you need two people hating each other being forced to spend time together, but these therapy sessions were bullshit. I hated how they were bickering for five minutes and then, she goes 'oh that's all for today, it has been an hour' you fucking charlatan.

I can understand the strong dislike bet Don't tell me the therapist pat herself on the back after these eight weeks, thinking Oh wow we did a great job with these two because that was the most useless thing in that book. I get that for the plot, you need two people hating each other being forced to spend time together, but these therapy sessions were bullshit. I hated how they were bickering for five minutes and then, she goes 'oh that's all for today, it has been an hour' you fucking charlatan.

I can understand the strong dislike between the MCs at first. You can't get along with everyone, shit happens. But wow, dramatic much? For 30% there's no hint they find each other attractive or something then BAM. Hate sex. So much inner monologue for nothing.

Then, I was ok with the hate sex, why not. But the childish bickering? How are these two 40 or almost 40? Even during sex, there was this annoying bickering, punctuated with some 'I hate you so much' yeah right, shut up and get fucked. MMC was annoying as hell with his little surname for the FMC: little brat (bro she's 39), snarky little goblin (???), screech owl (over-fucking-used the whole book, until the end), tiny tornado (that's how I called my 3yo sister...), little with (?)... I can't believe their are doctors in their 40's. Oh and the eternal belittling of the plastic surgery (but oh, saved at 93% mark when he takes her side in front of the chief or surgery or something about her work).

I really disliked the MMC at first (I hated him a little less in the end. Maybe out of pity?) First chapter, MMC is talking about his dick languishing and his obsession for cheerleaders for few pages. See guys, that's why sometimes, we don't want dual POV. He was so annoying, all he was doing was complaining, growling, scowling, barking...
And the FMC... meh. She was annoying and she had no clue about anything.

To be honest, they shouldn't have gotten together in the end. When the truce happened, it was like 75% and they still didn't know each other. She said it herself, all they did was angry sex and yelling, no talking. I honestly liked it better when it was just sex. And the wait was unnecessary torture, we could have avoided this.

There were good thing, I'm sure. But I really don't remember because of all of the things I disliked. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Dec 28, 2021 Mony rated it really liked it

Shelves: banter, doctor-lawyer, quirky, enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity

Fabulous story!

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2022 Simran Bhalla rated it it was ok

I wanted to read a book about 40YO surgeons - I wanted medical drama and jargon. This wasn't terrible but not what I was expecting. The characters weren't mature enough for me and I was just annoyed by the back & forth. Skimmed the last 50 pages to reach the end. ...more

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Jan 28, 2022 Stephanie rated it liked it

Shelves: 2022-tpam-reading-challenge

2.5 stars. The fighting and ridiculous childish behavior of these 2 could not be overcome by me. I almost dnf’d multiple times but I did finish. I did like the ending but these two were not for me.

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