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Neighbors
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00FILC0Y0.
Rena Woods has a great life. She recently landed the contract to decorate the home of basketball wife, Cecilia Hood, her business is growing, and this contract could make her the elite decorator in St. Louis. Rena’s sacrificed her personal life for her company without a single regret. When Staff Sergeant C.J. Riker moves in across the hall, Rena can’t stand to be around him. He may be on the volcanic side of hot, but his attitude sucks. Riker does whatever he can to get under Rena’s skin.
After a massive blow to her business sends Rena on a self-destructive binge, Riker is there to save her from doing something she might regret. Could there be more to Riker than meets the eye? And will he open up enough to Rena to tell her how he lost his leg or shut out love forever?
Rena Woods has a great life. She recently landed the contract to decorate the home of basketball wife, Cecilia Hood, her business is growing, and this contract could make her the elite decorator in St. Louis. Rena’s sacrificed her personal life for her company without a single regret. When Staff Sergeant C.J. Riker moves in across the hall, Rena can’t stand to be around him. He may be on the volcanic side of hot, but his attitude sucks. Riker does whatever he can to get under Rena’s skin.
After a massive blow to her business sends Rena on a self-destructive binge, Riker is there to save her from doing something she might regret. Could there be more to Riker than meets the eye? And will he open up enough to Rena to tell her how he lost his leg or shut out love forever?
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2013
2 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
L.S. Murphy
12 books155 followersL.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 28, 2013
Check out the full review at The Brunette Librarian's Blog
Rena is unimpressed when ex-Marine C.J. Riker moves in across the hall from her. A serious interior designer in St. Louis, Rena is working hard to build her business and she just doesn’t have time for the new surly neighbor. Over laundry and a few boring evenings, Rena finds that there may be more to her neighbor than a bad attitude.
Riker has moved to St. Louis after several tours in the Marines. Horribly hurt during an attack, Riker has lost one of his legs. A bad attitude and a negative outlook on life have become the norm, until the neighbor across the hall, seems to challenge his views.
Murphy does a lot of storytelling in her 65 pages and it doesn’t seem as if any word is wasted. Rena is smart and independent, and doesn’t give Riker any sympathy for missing his leg. Sure he’s went through traumatic events, but life is for the living. Riker is mad, bad, and strong but with Rena he’s different. She doesn’t take his gruff and understands his need to be normal.
Fun and smart, Murphy’s Neighbors is an excellent novella length romance. Moving along nicely, you find the characters to be both sweet and fierce, and never seem to get bogged down by unnecessary details. As opposed to most of the romances I read, I would rate this one as a G, so no naughtiness but plenty of sexy. A great offering from a fabulous Missouri author, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for L.S. Murphy!
Rena is unimpressed when ex-Marine C.J. Riker moves in across the hall from her. A serious interior designer in St. Louis, Rena is working hard to build her business and she just doesn’t have time for the new surly neighbor. Over laundry and a few boring evenings, Rena finds that there may be more to her neighbor than a bad attitude.
Riker has moved to St. Louis after several tours in the Marines. Horribly hurt during an attack, Riker has lost one of his legs. A bad attitude and a negative outlook on life have become the norm, until the neighbor across the hall, seems to challenge his views.
Murphy does a lot of storytelling in her 65 pages and it doesn’t seem as if any word is wasted. Rena is smart and independent, and doesn’t give Riker any sympathy for missing his leg. Sure he’s went through traumatic events, but life is for the living. Riker is mad, bad, and strong but with Rena he’s different. She doesn’t take his gruff and understands his need to be normal.
Fun and smart, Murphy’s Neighbors is an excellent novella length romance. Moving along nicely, you find the characters to be both sweet and fierce, and never seem to get bogged down by unnecessary details. As opposed to most of the romances I read, I would rate this one as a G, so no naughtiness but plenty of sexy. A great offering from a fabulous Missouri author, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for L.S. Murphy!
November 9, 2013
4·5 stars
There's nothing quite like a heartwarming novella to pick up your spirits when the winter temps start to kick in. I enjoyed this one a lot.
One of the first things I noticed about L.S. Murphy’s Neighbors was how fulfilling a story it was for only a novella; it didn’t read for a minute as something only 65 pages long.
Rena is a great MC. She’s a little feisty from the off, a no-nonsense kind of gal, but not without her vulnerabilities, self-uncertainties, and on top of that she has a caring attitude and a great personality.
Living on the other side of the hall is new neighbour Riker—a marine. With physical flaws that contribute to his personality flaws, he’s also extremely likeable from the off, with the way he hops from the moving van with the obvious intent of firing Rena up. And from thereon out, the attraction is—infuriatingly, for Rena—set in motion.
I really enjoyed watching the developments between these two. Especially Rena’s character development we got to see with regards to her drive and business and yearning to succeed, which is worthy of respect. And Riker’s softer side we see when he allows his tough façade to slip is what will have readers wanting him to find happiness.
As to whether or not either of these find happiness? Well, you’ll going to have to find that out for yourself. And as this book takes less than a couple hours to read, it’s a great lunchtime filler, which leaves you all with no excuse. So, if you’re looking for some decent company to spend your break with, you could do a lot worse than Rena and Riker and this heart warming tale. Grab it, read it, enjoy it.
That is all.
There's nothing quite like a heartwarming novella to pick up your spirits when the winter temps start to kick in. I enjoyed this one a lot.
One of the first things I noticed about L.S. Murphy’s Neighbors was how fulfilling a story it was for only a novella; it didn’t read for a minute as something only 65 pages long.
Rena is a great MC. She’s a little feisty from the off, a no-nonsense kind of gal, but not without her vulnerabilities, self-uncertainties, and on top of that she has a caring attitude and a great personality.
Living on the other side of the hall is new neighbour Riker—a marine. With physical flaws that contribute to his personality flaws, he’s also extremely likeable from the off, with the way he hops from the moving van with the obvious intent of firing Rena up. And from thereon out, the attraction is—infuriatingly, for Rena—set in motion.
I really enjoyed watching the developments between these two. Especially Rena’s character development we got to see with regards to her drive and business and yearning to succeed, which is worthy of respect. And Riker’s softer side we see when he allows his tough façade to slip is what will have readers wanting him to find happiness.
As to whether or not either of these find happiness? Well, you’ll going to have to find that out for yourself. And as this book takes less than a couple hours to read, it’s a great lunchtime filler, which leaves you all with no excuse. So, if you’re looking for some decent company to spend your break with, you could do a lot worse than Rena and Riker and this heart warming tale. Grab it, read it, enjoy it.
That is all.
November 23, 2013
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Rena Woods is the owner of Rena Woods Designs. As she left her apartment to meet a client she was slowed up by a moving van parked in her way. After dealing with the stubborn driver of the van, clearly a military man used to barking orders and getting his own way, Rena is finally on the road to her appointment. She is not at all looking forward to having that guy as the neighbor if he is indeed the one moving in.
C.J. Riker is a Staff Sargent (3rd Battalion 24th Marine Regiment) who came home from the previous tour in Afghanistan minus a leg but not lacking in the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) department. Due his bravery Riker is able to come home with a completely intact Marine Unit. He is gruff, rough, and edgy, however when he lets his guard down is a very caring, concerned individual.
Rena and Riker's relationship starts off very rocky. It takes most of the novella before Rena is able to coax out Riker. He lives beneath a mask of insecurity, uncertainty, and fear - PTSD does that. Loud noises cause war-like reactions which the author does a great job of including in her story. PTSD is no laughing matter and Riker is portrayed with dignity and written with the utmost of care.
I found Neighbors to be a great mix of romance with a huge and heavy step into very real subject matter. Our soldiers are very important and as such, I'm grateful that L.S. Murphy took the time to build up this flirty novella with a heavy subject matter. They deserve our undivided attention, assistance, and compassion after dealing with the horrors of war. I'm glad Rena was written in such a way as to be strong enough to push past Riker's hard exterior and love the man for who he is inside and out. Neither character is perfect - they are both flawed in some aspect, yet are able to move beyond the imperfections.
Review copy courtesy of: Entangled Publishing/NetGalley, at no cost/compensation, in exchange for an honest review.
Rena Woods is the owner of Rena Woods Designs. As she left her apartment to meet a client she was slowed up by a moving van parked in her way. After dealing with the stubborn driver of the van, clearly a military man used to barking orders and getting his own way, Rena is finally on the road to her appointment. She is not at all looking forward to having that guy as the neighbor if he is indeed the one moving in.
C.J. Riker is a Staff Sargent (3rd Battalion 24th Marine Regiment) who came home from the previous tour in Afghanistan minus a leg but not lacking in the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) department. Due his bravery Riker is able to come home with a completely intact Marine Unit. He is gruff, rough, and edgy, however when he lets his guard down is a very caring, concerned individual.
Rena and Riker's relationship starts off very rocky. It takes most of the novella before Rena is able to coax out Riker. He lives beneath a mask of insecurity, uncertainty, and fear - PTSD does that. Loud noises cause war-like reactions which the author does a great job of including in her story. PTSD is no laughing matter and Riker is portrayed with dignity and written with the utmost of care.
I found Neighbors to be a great mix of romance with a huge and heavy step into very real subject matter. Our soldiers are very important and as such, I'm grateful that L.S. Murphy took the time to build up this flirty novella with a heavy subject matter. They deserve our undivided attention, assistance, and compassion after dealing with the horrors of war. I'm glad Rena was written in such a way as to be strong enough to push past Riker's hard exterior and love the man for who he is inside and out. Neither character is perfect - they are both flawed in some aspect, yet are able to move beyond the imperfections.
Review copy courtesy of: Entangled Publishing/NetGalley, at no cost/compensation, in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2013
Title: Neighbors - Entangled Flirts Novella
Author: L. S. Murphy
Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC
Published: 11-11-2013
ISBN-13: 9781622663743
E-Book ASIN: B00FILC0Y0
Pages: 65
Genre: Romance
Tags: Contemporary
Rena Woods, Interior Designer on the rise, is late to an appointment with her most influential client when she finds her car is blocked by a moving truck. She marches to the truck and demands that it be moved immediately. Staff Sargent C J Riker climbs out of the truck to berate Rena that he can't move the truck and that she needs to maneuver her car around his truck. That's when she notices the prosthesis where his leg should have been, but it doesn't stop her from loosing her temper with him. So began the animosity between the two new neighbors.
While on a the blind date from Hades Rena is embarrassed to find none other that her new neighbor seated behind her. While arguing with him her date leaves her without a word. This does not improve her relationship with Riker. When Rena's former employer steals her biggest client she feels as though she is a failure and goes for a drinking binge. Who should walk in but Riker. Just what she needs the perfect ending to the worst day in her life.
How can two people who have such a volatile relationship survive living so close to one another? Or is there something else going on? Why is Riker so hostile to everyone? How did he loose his leg and does it have anything to do with his temperament? This short novella is long on pleasure to the reader. Once you begin you will laugh and you will gasp. Then you will be looking for your own Alpha with a secret tender heart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this delightful story in exchange for an honest review. I am interested in knowing if there will be more about some of the characters to be found in the story. If so I will definitely looking to add them to my Must Read List.
Author: L. S. Murphy
Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC
Published: 11-11-2013
ISBN-13: 9781622663743
E-Book ASIN: B00FILC0Y0
Pages: 65
Genre: Romance
Tags: Contemporary
Rena Woods, Interior Designer on the rise, is late to an appointment with her most influential client when she finds her car is blocked by a moving truck. She marches to the truck and demands that it be moved immediately. Staff Sargent C J Riker climbs out of the truck to berate Rena that he can't move the truck and that she needs to maneuver her car around his truck. That's when she notices the prosthesis where his leg should have been, but it doesn't stop her from loosing her temper with him. So began the animosity between the two new neighbors.
While on a the blind date from Hades Rena is embarrassed to find none other that her new neighbor seated behind her. While arguing with him her date leaves her without a word. This does not improve her relationship with Riker. When Rena's former employer steals her biggest client she feels as though she is a failure and goes for a drinking binge. Who should walk in but Riker. Just what she needs the perfect ending to the worst day in her life.
How can two people who have such a volatile relationship survive living so close to one another? Or is there something else going on? Why is Riker so hostile to everyone? How did he loose his leg and does it have anything to do with his temperament? This short novella is long on pleasure to the reader. Once you begin you will laugh and you will gasp. Then you will be looking for your own Alpha with a secret tender heart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this delightful story in exchange for an honest review. I am interested in knowing if there will be more about some of the characters to be found in the story. If so I will definitely looking to add them to my Must Read List.
November 15, 2013
You can also find my review on my blog:
http://www.read-love-blog.com/2013/11...
Neighbors is a novella from author L.S. Murphy and is the first work I have read from her. I really enjoyed it!
When Rena meets Riker, it’s not exactly in the best of circumstances. She needs him to move his truck so she can move her car. She’s annoyed with him and he’s annoyed with her. Well, the circumstances don’t get much better and it seems like every time they see on another it’s not exactly a pleasant exchange. Rena knows a bit of his back-story. He was in the military and has a prosthetic leg, so clearly he has some reason for being less than happy these days. She could only imagine what must have happened to him, and it broke her heart. Still, Rena doesn’t think too highly of his gruff attitude…until she sees him around their apartment complex every now and then doing something nice for someone. Soon Rena realizes she may not have given him a fair chance and when her job suddenly takes a nosedive, she thinks maybe giving him shot at friendship could be the distraction she needs. Who knows, maybe something more than friendship is what they both need?
This novella was really great. Sometimes a quick and entertaining read is just what the doctor ordered in between full-length novels. I enjoyed both Rena and Riker and would love to see more of them in the future!
Thank you, L.S.!
http://www.read-love-blog.com/2013/11...
Neighbors is a novella from author L.S. Murphy and is the first work I have read from her. I really enjoyed it!
When Rena meets Riker, it’s not exactly in the best of circumstances. She needs him to move his truck so she can move her car. She’s annoyed with him and he’s annoyed with her. Well, the circumstances don’t get much better and it seems like every time they see on another it’s not exactly a pleasant exchange. Rena knows a bit of his back-story. He was in the military and has a prosthetic leg, so clearly he has some reason for being less than happy these days. She could only imagine what must have happened to him, and it broke her heart. Still, Rena doesn’t think too highly of his gruff attitude…until she sees him around their apartment complex every now and then doing something nice for someone. Soon Rena realizes she may not have given him a fair chance and when her job suddenly takes a nosedive, she thinks maybe giving him shot at friendship could be the distraction she needs. Who knows, maybe something more than friendship is what they both need?
This novella was really great. Sometimes a quick and entertaining read is just what the doctor ordered in between full-length novels. I enjoyed both Rena and Riker and would love to see more of them in the future!
Thank you, L.S.!
December 6, 2013
Rena is sassy and fun, Riker is a bit moody but also swoon-worthy, and while their story was short, it was still a great read!
Rena’s personality made this book. She was feisty, snarky, and hilarious. She has this way of saying and doing things that just totally entertained me.
Riker wasn’t so easy to like at the beginning but in a way that is totally understandable. He is recently released from the military due to losing his leg. He is not only learning to deal with his injury but he is also struggling with being out of the military.
Riker has received enough pity stares to last him a lifetime. When Rena let’s him have it despite his noticing his physical state, he becomes interested to say the least. One of the best parts of this story was these two started off has near enemies, progressed to acquaintances, slid into friendship, and non-surprisingly, that developed into romance. I loved that L.S. Murphy was able to develop these two characters and their relationship so much in a little bit of time.
Even though I so wish this was a full-length novel so I could immerse myself in more Riker and Rena, I am still happy with how this story turned out. Definitely worth a read!
Rena’s personality made this book. She was feisty, snarky, and hilarious. She has this way of saying and doing things that just totally entertained me.
Riker wasn’t so easy to like at the beginning but in a way that is totally understandable. He is recently released from the military due to losing his leg. He is not only learning to deal with his injury but he is also struggling with being out of the military.
Riker has received enough pity stares to last him a lifetime. When Rena let’s him have it despite his noticing his physical state, he becomes interested to say the least. One of the best parts of this story was these two started off has near enemies, progressed to acquaintances, slid into friendship, and non-surprisingly, that developed into romance. I loved that L.S. Murphy was able to develop these two characters and their relationship so much in a little bit of time.
Even though I so wish this was a full-length novel so I could immerse myself in more Riker and Rena, I am still happy with how this story turned out. Definitely worth a read!
December 12, 2013
I loved Neighbors. Perfect Title. Perfect writing. I shall just call Ms. Murphy a painter of character. She builds them, filling them with real life, and sprinkles the scenes at just the right time with a bit of humor. Read on as I touch on a few of my favorite things.
The Good.
Character Chemistry. There is a balance of just enough romance to bring a bit of blush to the cheeks while leaving the right amount of imagination to the reader. In my eyes, you hit it on the dot, Ms. Murphy.
The Great.
The relationships were real. Not overly romanticized—but people you know, people with pasts and crazy histories to scar their interactions with others. I visualized myself in these scenes, knowing these people just as well as I would an endearing friend. Their pasts followed them like everyone else. Real pasts, I could relate to.
The Ohmigoodness.
The ending. There were absolutely no strings left dangling. Tied up tight with double knots, the plot pulled together so nicely with an awesome ending I simply cannot spoil. You must read it.
The Good.
Character Chemistry. There is a balance of just enough romance to bring a bit of blush to the cheeks while leaving the right amount of imagination to the reader. In my eyes, you hit it on the dot, Ms. Murphy.
The Great.
The relationships were real. Not overly romanticized—but people you know, people with pasts and crazy histories to scar their interactions with others. I visualized myself in these scenes, knowing these people just as well as I would an endearing friend. Their pasts followed them like everyone else. Real pasts, I could relate to.
The Ohmigoodness.
The ending. There were absolutely no strings left dangling. Tied up tight with double knots, the plot pulled together so nicely with an awesome ending I simply cannot spoil. You must read it.
November 7, 2013
I really liked this little book. Rena’s great because she doesn’t let any heat off Riker just because he’s got an artificial leg, and they do not have a pleasant first meeting. For the most part, I don’t really have any complaints with this book. It was a solid entry and it paid due tribute to the members of the military. The only thing I didn’t really like was how secretive Riker was up to the very end when he gets Rena to go to a military ceremony with him and he flat-out lies about the purpose of the ceremony. Buuut, all things considered, I do like how this book turned out.
Sorry I don’t have more to comment on it, but I genuinely liked it.
Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sorry I don’t have more to comment on it, but I genuinely liked it.
Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2013
3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars
Neighbours was a quick and fulfilling read.
For a novella I found the storyline was well paced and characters were believable. The author L.S Murphy has done a great job in giving us a heartwarming story.
I really liked Riker, he comes across as this hardass guy in the beginning who enjoys making life for Rena unbearable but once we start learning more about him and what he has been through you can't help but fall for him :)
With time and patience Rena helps Riker trust again, I was so happy when he let his guard down and finally let Rena in.
Overall I recommend Neighbors and I'm looking forward to reading more from L.S Murphy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Flirt for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Neighbours was a quick and fulfilling read.
For a novella I found the storyline was well paced and characters were believable. The author L.S Murphy has done a great job in giving us a heartwarming story.
I really liked Riker, he comes across as this hardass guy in the beginning who enjoys making life for Rena unbearable but once we start learning more about him and what he has been through you can't help but fall for him :)
With time and patience Rena helps Riker trust again, I was so happy when he let his guard down and finally let Rena in.
Overall I recommend Neighbors and I'm looking forward to reading more from L.S Murphy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Flirt for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 8, 2013
Gotta love a man in a uniform! Riker is a Marine who lost his leg in battle. Rena is the interior decorator with the super sexy Marine for a neighbor. He irritates her with his gruff manner and defensive attitude. She fascinates him with her argumentative ways. Read this fabulous short story about these neighbors and how they find their way towards each other.
This was a feel good story about a guy that was injured in war and how he's dealing with it and his attraction to his new neighbor. It's also about a woman that's attracted to her new neighbor that has an attitude problem. I love a good story about a brooding hero that looks AWESOME in a uniform.
I received a copy for an honest review.
This was a feel good story about a guy that was injured in war and how he's dealing with it and his attraction to his new neighbor. It's also about a woman that's attracted to her new neighbor that has an attitude problem. I love a good story about a brooding hero that looks AWESOME in a uniform.
I received a copy for an honest review.
November 11, 2013
Short Novella about a designer who lives across the hall from a one legged marine that’s a bit unruly at times and she can’t stand him because he comes across as a jerk. But she eventually gets to know him and tears down just a few walls and they eventually become really close. If you like short, military novellas you’ll like this. But if, Riker and Rena ever get a full length novel, it’ll be worth it. Josh was a hoot and when Rena met Josh’s sister, the claws came out when the sister started hitting on Riker and that just didn’t sit well with Rena. Even if she did like Josh, she was staking her claim with Riker. It was short, and definitely worth the read
November 13, 2013
The characters seemed so real, almost like friends instead of fictional characters, and their relationship developed in a very real life manner. Neighbors is sweet, sassy and funny. It is the perfect length with the right amount detail to tell a complete and touching love story in a tiny little package. Full review available at http://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress...
November 14, 2013
I am totally a sucker for a war hero and Riker is my favourite kind. A little PTSD a lot of attitude and sexy as hell. It doesn't surprise me at all that Rena fell for Riker even though his tough exterior was a little hard to crack.
Overall i give this 4 out of 5
Overall i give this 4 out of 5
July 6, 2021
Stoic Riker moves in across the hall from Rena. She can’t figure out the military man’s hot/cold attitude, and is already juggling her mom’s pressure to find a guy, keeping her fledgling design business afloat, and the blind dates her friend keeps setting up.
December 15, 2014
I received an ARC through NetGalley.
Neighbors is a romantic novella that just didn't work for me. It's not bad, just not for me. It's all about Rena, an interior designer, who loses her biggest client yet. She's also got a new neighbor, Riker, who isn't the most pleasant fellow around. Of course, Rena tries to drown her sorrows in whiskey, Riker takes her back to his place since he can't get her back into hers, and from there they start to get to know each other and flirt a lot. Enemies to lovers is my favorite type of romance, but it doesn't really work here, at all. Riker is a super jerk, but only to Rena. He's actually a really nice guy with PTSD, so I didn't really understand why he's so rude to her before they started hanging out. I also found it strange how he was conveniently everywhere she went, but I guess coincidences are an easy way to get people together in so few pages.
The main reason that Neighbors wasn't the romance for me, was that it took too serious of a turn. The blurb seems light hearted and fun, but things get quite heavy. There was less of a focus on the romantic aspect and more focus on Riker's experience in the Marine Corps. I honestly have zero interest in the military and anything military related, so this shift was a big negative for me. We see the affects of Riker's PTSD, him getting honored for his service, and he talks about his goals concerning his role as a Marine after losing his leg. It was just a turn off, since I wanted to see more of the chemistry between him and Rena. Also, the sex scene is of the "fade to black" variety which was quite annoying for someone who loves her some sexy times in her books.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Neighbors is a romantic novella that just didn't work for me. It's not bad, just not for me. It's all about Rena, an interior designer, who loses her biggest client yet. She's also got a new neighbor, Riker, who isn't the most pleasant fellow around. Of course, Rena tries to drown her sorrows in whiskey, Riker takes her back to his place since he can't get her back into hers, and from there they start to get to know each other and flirt a lot. Enemies to lovers is my favorite type of romance, but it doesn't really work here, at all. Riker is a super jerk, but only to Rena. He's actually a really nice guy with PTSD, so I didn't really understand why he's so rude to her before they started hanging out. I also found it strange how he was conveniently everywhere she went, but I guess coincidences are an easy way to get people together in so few pages.
The main reason that Neighbors wasn't the romance for me, was that it took too serious of a turn. The blurb seems light hearted and fun, but things get quite heavy. There was less of a focus on the romantic aspect and more focus on Riker's experience in the Marine Corps. I honestly have zero interest in the military and anything military related, so this shift was a big negative for me. We see the affects of Riker's PTSD, him getting honored for his service, and he talks about his goals concerning his role as a Marine after losing his leg. It was just a turn off, since I wanted to see more of the chemistry between him and Rena. Also, the sex scene is of the "fade to black" variety which was quite annoying for someone who loves her some sexy times in her books.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
November 25, 2013
Originally published at Rookie Romance.
This novella is short and sweet, but it wasn't as developed in some areas as much as I would have liked.
The characters are well developed for such a short story. Riker is a super hot marine, who starts out with an abrasive attitude and acts like an asshole towards Rena. But it's not long before we see the real Riker underneath his surliness. He's sweet and a genuinely nice guy, he just doesn't want people to see just his disability.
Rena is great, she's feisty and has ambition, whilst keeping her integrity. She doesn't treat Riker any differently than she would if he had both his legs. She doesn't give up on him when he tries to push her away and shut her out.
Honestly though, I wasn't sure why Riker was such an ass to Rena to begin with, when he wasn't like that with other people- although it provided good tension between Rena and Riker.
I wish there had been more to the actual romance. That was my biggest problem. It seems that just when their relationship finally gets going, the book finishes. It just felt very unfinished, and there wasn't enough time spent on their relationship. Although I did feel their chemistry, so there was definite potential. That's despite the sex scene being behind closed doors- which was a shame for me, I do enjoy the sexy times in books.
Overall, it's cute and it's a nice way to spend in an hour. It's not going to stick in my brain for particularly long, but I'll keep an eye out for future books from the author.
*I received a review copy as part of a blog tour. Thank you!
This novella is short and sweet, but it wasn't as developed in some areas as much as I would have liked.
The characters are well developed for such a short story. Riker is a super hot marine, who starts out with an abrasive attitude and acts like an asshole towards Rena. But it's not long before we see the real Riker underneath his surliness. He's sweet and a genuinely nice guy, he just doesn't want people to see just his disability.
Rena is great, she's feisty and has ambition, whilst keeping her integrity. She doesn't treat Riker any differently than she would if he had both his legs. She doesn't give up on him when he tries to push her away and shut her out.
Honestly though, I wasn't sure why Riker was such an ass to Rena to begin with, when he wasn't like that with other people- although it provided good tension between Rena and Riker.
I wish there had been more to the actual romance. That was my biggest problem. It seems that just when their relationship finally gets going, the book finishes. It just felt very unfinished, and there wasn't enough time spent on their relationship. Although I did feel their chemistry, so there was definite potential. That's despite the sex scene being behind closed doors- which was a shame for me, I do enjoy the sexy times in books.
Overall, it's cute and it's a nice way to spend in an hour. It's not going to stick in my brain for particularly long, but I'll keep an eye out for future books from the author.
*I received a review copy as part of a blog tour. Thank you!
November 14, 2013
Full review to be posted on my blog, Becky on Books.
Neighbors was a pleasant way to spend an hour reading, but it didn’t go much beyond that. Though I liked the characters and enjoyed their interactions, I didn’t ever feel a deep connection to them and their problems. Part of it is no doubt the fact that this is a very short read–knowing more about the characters and their backgrounds definitely would have made me feel more invested in their struggles–but overall, it just didn’t pack much of a “punch” for me. While reading, I just felt as if I were floating along the top of their lives, mildly interested in what was going on with them but not terribly concerned about it one way or another.
Riker’s character was obviously experiencing some major effects from his military service, and that aspect alone really deserved more attention than this short of a novella could really deliver. Still, I didn’t dislike L.S. Murphy’s writing, and would definitely pick up another book by this author in the future in the hopes that I would be able to find a better connection with it and its characters.
C+ rating.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Neighbors was a pleasant way to spend an hour reading, but it didn’t go much beyond that. Though I liked the characters and enjoyed their interactions, I didn’t ever feel a deep connection to them and their problems. Part of it is no doubt the fact that this is a very short read–knowing more about the characters and their backgrounds definitely would have made me feel more invested in their struggles–but overall, it just didn’t pack much of a “punch” for me. While reading, I just felt as if I were floating along the top of their lives, mildly interested in what was going on with them but not terribly concerned about it one way or another.
Riker’s character was obviously experiencing some major effects from his military service, and that aspect alone really deserved more attention than this short of a novella could really deliver. Still, I didn’t dislike L.S. Murphy’s writing, and would definitely pick up another book by this author in the future in the hopes that I would be able to find a better connection with it and its characters.
C+ rating.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2013
Posted What I'm Reading
Rating 3 1/2 Stars
All right, I just finished Neighbors by L.S. Murphy. I must say that it was a really cute read. At the beginning you have Rena Woods who's running a little late for work and she meets the new neighbors, Riker and his buddy. Let's just go with the fact that Riker and Rena didn't hit off right away. As the story progresses they start to become friends.
As I said a cute read, but I think this novella was a bit too short. The story has great potential, but I think it just happen too fast. I think if the story had been drawn out a little more it would have been fantastic. However, it was cute story in the end. So, if you are looking for a quick novella to read and don't mind being short, you might like Neighbors.
Copy provided by publisher
Rating 3 1/2 Stars
All right, I just finished Neighbors by L.S. Murphy. I must say that it was a really cute read. At the beginning you have Rena Woods who's running a little late for work and she meets the new neighbors, Riker and his buddy. Let's just go with the fact that Riker and Rena didn't hit off right away. As the story progresses they start to become friends.
As I said a cute read, but I think this novella was a bit too short. The story has great potential, but I think it just happen too fast. I think if the story had been drawn out a little more it would have been fantastic. However, it was cute story in the end. So, if you are looking for a quick novella to read and don't mind being short, you might like Neighbors.
Copy provided by publisher
November 12, 2013
Neighbors was a great story about two people that really needed each other. Rena has lost herself in running her own business and Riker has just returned from the war with a severe injury that is healing. His wounds aren't all physical and it takes a lot to bring the two of the together. L.S. Murphy manages to pack quite a bit in the little novella, but I had a bit of a hard time relating to the characters. I did enjoy the storyline and there were a couple scenes that really packed an emotional punch, it was fantastic. - See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
November 20, 2013
This was a cute story and not a bad way to spend a lunch hour. This is a story about two people who start off on the wrong foot but manage to forge a friendship anyway. These two had great chemistry and I really enjoyed watching their friendship grow. I would have liked to see their romanced developed a bit more and gotten more background on both of them but that would have required a longer story. The end was a bit abrupt and I would have liked to have seen an epilogue. I did enjoy the story though and will likely read it again when I’m looking for a quick fun read. I received an ARC of this story from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2014
ARC from Net Galley for honest review
Perfect book if you're looking for a quick read. I've not read of any the Entangled Flirts range before so I thought I'd have a go.
The flow of writing in a few places felt off and slightly disjointed and I just wasn't feeling the chemistry between Rena and Riker. Their relationship felt a bit forced.
Just as things pick up the story ends, if there was a little more development on the romance side I think I would have enjoyed it a little more.
There is the potential for it to be a good book however it is just underdeveloped and not explored. Not one for me.
Perfect book if you're looking for a quick read. I've not read of any the Entangled Flirts range before so I thought I'd have a go.
The flow of writing in a few places felt off and slightly disjointed and I just wasn't feeling the chemistry between Rena and Riker. Their relationship felt a bit forced.
Just as things pick up the story ends, if there was a little more development on the romance side I think I would have enjoyed it a little more.
There is the potential for it to be a good book however it is just underdeveloped and not explored. Not one for me.
November 16, 2013
This was a short read, a bit too short for my taste. Novellas are a difficult format, and though the story is really strong in this one, the character development was missing something for me. I wanted the character's background more fleshed out. Perhaps because some of the storyline was dependent upon the character's hidden past experiences, I needed more info sooner to make the connections. The premise, however was excellent, the settings well drawn and the pacing quite even.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2013
Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
A very cute novella that gave us 2 very likeable characters. I loved how matter-of-fact Rena was about Riker's injury and how she took everything in her stride.
A very cute novella that gave us 2 very likeable characters. I loved how matter-of-fact Rena was about Riker's injury and how she took everything in her stride.
March 31, 2014
A fairly quick read, however it was entertaining. Neighbors is a sweet, gentle romance, and perfect to while away an hour or so.
It could have been a really good full novel as well, but for a short story, Neighbors worked well.
It could have been a really good full novel as well, but for a short story, Neighbors worked well.
March 11, 2014
3.5 stars
January 18, 2015
Enjoyed this one a lot.
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