Award-winning author Zen Cho delivers a sparkling and witty rivals-to-lovers romance reminiscent of Sally Thorn's The Hating Game and Sajni Patel's The Trouble with Hating You.



Sparks fly when an ambitious rules-bound lawyer clashes with a maverick new hire who threatens his chances of partnership—and the walls he's built around his heart.



Charles Goh has always played by the rules. It’s how he survived his difficult childhood as the swotty foreigner at a posh English boarding school -- and now, his high-pressure job at one of the biggest corporate law firms in London. His job is his life and he's happy that way … until she shows up.

Kriya Rajasekar's lost her way. Her longtime boyfriend's broken up with her and she feels trapped in her legal career. She knows she needs a fresh start -- but it turns out her new job is at the same firm as her work nemesis. Charles Goh is like the bad luck charm she keeps running into, and their encounters lead to disaster every single time. And now he's her office mate.

But just as they’re figuring out how to navigate this frenemy relationship, Kriya needs Charles’ help: pretend they’re dating so her boss will stop hitting on her. Soon, it becomes less clear whether they're enemies, friends – or something else.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.



Praise for this book

Praise for The Friend Zone Experiment

“A messy—yet beautiful—second-chance romance. Zen Cho writes vivid characters in difficult situations, and the hero and heroine’s history is deftly woven into their present-day interactions. It’s a compelling read, and I devoured it.” —Jackie Lau, author of Donut Fall in Love

“Renee and Ket Siong lose and find each other in an emotionally intense love story set against a dramatic backdrop of corporate greed, class, and family. Lovers of Zen Cho’s fabulous fantasy stories will be thrilled by her first contemporary romance.” —Lily Chu, author of The Stand In

“Cho is a marvel. Her deft observations go down like a charm, but their emotional power will leave you deeply moved . . . The Friend Zone Experiment is a story so intensely real that you’ll wonder later if it happened to someone you knew.” —Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

“A lovely, tender romance, beautifully threaded through real world concerns that had me engrossed. I savoured every delicately written moment.” —Charlotte Stein, author of When Grumpy Met Sunshine

“A really fun and escapist read – I'm sure fans of Lauren Ho or Beth O'Leary will love this second-chance romance!” —Niamh Hargan, author of The Break-Up Clause

“A heartwarming second-chance romance, written with a sometimes sly sense of humor. With complicated family relationships, ominous shadows from the past, and the cameos of Southeast Asian food and beverages which are delectably familiar to me. A sparkling read.” —Eve Shi

“Reminiscent of classic K-dramas with a touch more reality, Cho perfectly balances a friends-to-lovers romance with familial tensions and business-world intrigue. Easily one of my top reads of the year!” —Simone Soltani, author of Cross the Line

“Renee Goh has joined the ranks of my favourite romance heroines; I was sucked into her story immediately and cheered for her the whole way through. This is a romance that celebrates its tropes while not being afraid to show its teeth, all delivered in Cho's assured and lively authorial voice. I can't wait to see where she takes us next in this genre!” —Freya Marske, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Marvellous Light

“I haven't seen an author weave romantic comedy and corporate complexity together quite this flawlessly. …Hilarious, insightful and hard to put down.” —J. F. Murray, author of Fling




About the AuthorZen Cho is the author of the Sorcerer to the Crown novels, Black Water Sister and various shorter fiction. Her work has won the Hugo, Crawford and British Fantasy Awards, and the LA Times Ray Bradbury Prize, as well as being shortlisted for the World Fantasy, Lambda, Locus and Astounding Awards. Born and raised in Malaysia, Zen now lives in the UK.
Title: Behind Frenemy Lines
Author(s): Zen Cho
ISBN: 9781250330482
Copyright 2025
Release Date: July 01, 2025
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: None available | Learn More about our supported formats
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