Release Day Review: Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Two rival candidates for a homeowner’s association presidency are about to find out how dirty suburbanites fight in this steamy new romantic comedy…

After years of hustling, Collins Carter has finally made it...back to her parents’ house. Between tending to the compost with her newly retired dad and running into her high school nemesis at the only decent coffee shop in town, Collins realizes this subdivision from hell she swore she’d never return to is her rock bottom.

Then the homeowner’s association complaint arrived.

Nathaniel Adams always dreamed of a nice, quiet life in his suburban hometown. Or at least that’s what he thought until Collins moved back and sent his quaint, organized life into a tailspin. He thought Collins was infuriating ten years ago, but when she announces she’s running against him for HOA president, all bets are off.

From secret board meetings to vicious smear campaigns whispered over backyard fences, Collins and Nate sink to levels their sleepy suburb has never seen before. But as hate turns into lust, these two enemies are forced to reckon with the feelings they’ve ignored for years. If only there were bylaws for real life.

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What I thought about Next-Door Nemesis

In this romantic comedy from Alexa Martin, writer Collins Carter leaves Los Angeles and returns home after a humiliating break up. Coming back  home after years away isn't an easy transition, especially when high school friends and not-friends are her neighbors, and especially annoying is her former friend, real estate agent, Nathaniel Adams.  He ghosted Collins in high school and she's never forgotten.

Nate is not thrilled about Collins return to her  home, and the war between them is on and escalates when they both run for the homeowner's association president.  This sets up all sorts of nasty competitive maneuvers from both parties.  But you know what's said about love and hate -- there's a fine line between them and Collins and Nate come very close to it as they work out their past and move from former friends and enemies to lovers.

I really liked the light-heartedness of this story. I could tell from the start that Collins had some things to work through in her own life, and Nate was one of them. Her journey is an entertaining one, blending regrets and passions and redemption all in the same story.  I liked that about it as it brings a sense of realism to this story -- who hasn't had to lick their wounds and recover from what life throws at  you?  I really liked that theme in the story as well.

Overall, a very entertaining and satisfying romantic comedy with great characters and a writing style that makes you feel like you know these characters right from the start, thanks to some great banter between them. This is really Collins story, told from her point of view, and that worked for me but there's some nice sexual tension and plenty of flirting between these main characters to satisfy my romantic soul.

 

About the Author

Alexa Martin is a writer and stay at home mom. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a former NFL player who now coaches at the high school where they met, their four children, and a German Shepherd. When she's not telling her kids to put their shoes on...again, you can find her catching up with her latest book boyfriend or on Pinterest pinning meals she'll probably never make. Her first book, Intercepted, was inspired by the eight years she spent as an NFL wife.

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