Spy Thy Neighbor

Enigma #7

by Shandi Boyes

Can be read as a standalone.

I flew across the country with one goal on my mind.... finish my book.... and maybe lick the wounds of my shredded heart. 

My editor was screaming for the first draft, my agent was nagging for teasers, and my publisher was reminding me that my strict deadline was only months away. However, there was a dilemma. I had writer's block. Not just a little spanner thrown into the works writer's block. Writers. Block. As in staring at the blinking light on my Mac monitor begging for a stream of words to magically appear. 

This was not my first rodeo, though. I am a well known and respected author. I just can't write about romance, flowers, and butterfly kisses when all I want to pen is my own rendition of Basic Instinct. Ice picks to the heart, forks in eyes, and knees slammed into assholes crotches are not solid key pointers for a sweet romance novel. 

Just as I was about to throw down the gauntlet and call in my defeat, I spotted him. The bearded, tattooed man who lives in the glasshouse next door. He was in a venereal, lust filled twist with a pretty blonde who had buxom bosoms and legs that went for miles. I should have looked away. I should have respected his privacy. I should not have opened my notepad and took detailed dot points on his technique. However, every precise thrust of his hips, snippets of his well-carved physique, and droplets of sweat running down his glistening torso had words flowing quicker than I was able to write them. He was my inspiration, my muse, my next book alpha male. 

My plan was working. The words were flowing, and they were magnificent, by far my best work to date. My editor was in love with the first half of my draft, my agent was using snippets of the first two chapters to secure big endorsement deals, and my publicist was talking about a new three book deal. 

Everything was perfect.... until the bearded stranger spotted me spying on him.

Adult content, sexual references, recommended for 18+ readers.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Dark Romance, Adult, Erotica

282 pages, ebook

Published June 10, 2017

About the author

Shandi Boyes is a USA Today Bestselling Author who was an avid reader for many years before she discovered the love of writing in February 2016. Her first penned novel 'Perception of Life’ is a new adult rockstar romance that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very last word.

In September 2016, her focus shifted to hot alpha men in steamy contemporary reads that sizzle off the pages. Shandi’s novel ‘Enigma of Life’ is an award-winning story on an FBI agent and the subject she was assigned to investigate. Her men are swoon-worthy, devoted, and alpha; and her heroines are strong-willed, determined, and loveable. You should start her stories first thing in the morning, or you may not sleep.

You will laugh and you will cry, but Shandi's characters will stay with you for a lifetime!

Join my newsletter: subscribepage.com/authorshandi

SERIES ORDER:
Perception of Life (Noah and Emily #1)
Reality of Life (conclusion of Noah's story #2)
Fight of Life (Jacob's story - standalone #3)
Player of Life (Nick & Jenny - standalone #4)
Beats of Life (Slater's story - standalone #5)

Enigma:

Enigma of Life (Isaac #1) - ** FREE **
Unraveling an Enigma (Isaac #2)
Enigma: The Mystery Unmasked (Isaac #3)
Enigma: The Final Chapter (conclusion of Isaac's story #4)
Beneath the Secrets (Hugo #1)
Beneath the Sheets (Hugo #2)
Spy Thy Neighbor (Hunter's Story)
The Opposite Effect
I Married a Mob Boss
Second Shot

Bound:

Chains
Links
Bound
Restrained

Russian Mob Chronicles:

Nikolai: A Mafia Prince Romance
Nikolai: Taking Back What's Mine
Nikolai: What's Left of Me

You will laugh and you will cry, but my characters will stay with you forever!

I love writing and reading. They are both my passion. My genre is generally set to new adult and contemporary, with a few twists thrown in.

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Shand...

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01D8C13WU

Enjoy reading!

Reviews

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t...



If you live in a glass house and have wild monkey sex every night with different women, don’t be too surprised that your neighbor is watching. Especially if she is a romance writer with writers block who just broke up with her cheating fiancé whose skills in the bedroom were pretty lackluster.



Paige watches “Archer” as she has named her hot next door neighbor as she spies on him arching women over his couches, chairs and deck railing each night in ecstasy. She takes notes and draws pictures to keep positions fresh in her mind so she can add them to scenes in her book, until one night he sees her watching.

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[Mojo_Mama · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is cute and sweet and fluffy bunny with a side of manwhore deluxe complete with h voyeurism of said manwhore’s extracurricular activities.
(*jazz hands*)

I don’t like fluffy bunny with manhos and near virgins. It’s like rewarding a man for being a whore....yeah, no. The perfect untouched pussy just for his greedy dick ;) It’s insulting to virgins and women in general. I also don’t trust it. I love me some manwhores, but I think they want to debauch innocence and then move the fuck on. The whole reformed rake trope of 80’s historicals was fun to read as a kid (Johanna Lindsay [RIP] you are a goddess), but even I called bullshit then.

And I don’t like the writer trope in romance novels. It’s never as cute or cool as authors think. I’m always left feeling icky like it’s their “personal fantasy”...IYGWIM. Here, the h writes a book about the H and titles it the same as this book: Spy Thy Neighbor. #icanteven

[Paula (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew going in that this was not my jam - based on the blurb alone. But something peaked my curiosity and I thought I'd just take a quick "look-see" and DNF it, however it turned into a battle for me to delete it as I slowly got so invested that I was hooked and couldn't put it down!

So before I start, please be aware that my review will contain MAJOR SPOILERS!!! If you want to read, it is best not to view the hidden spoilers so that you can truly enjoy it!
----

The story is about Paige & Hunter. Hunter is a 28 yr old Cyber/Tech Security Expert & Paige is a romance writer. They both have douche ex's & have experienced betrayal.

Wanting a fresh start & an escape to finish her book in piece, Paige rents a cabin which happens to be right next to her neighbor, Hunter, whom she spies on for 6 straight weeks of him having acrobatic & hot sex with woman after woman - hence for the title.

After having a lukewarm sex life with her ex & writer's block, she watches Hunter (like a voyeur) in his glass-dome house with these women & it inspires her to finish her novel. The first chapter starts with her seeing him with a blonde & the sex scene is in detail. This part was hard for me to read because I didn't think she - nor I - could get past that. I thought it would be one of those stories that is all about dirty sex and nothing else but surprisingly it is not!

Once she gets caught though by Hunter, they are both smitten & begin developing a friendship type relationship. It was funny at times and I really liked the writing here. The Author allowed us to really get to know the 2 main characters. She incorporated humor & didn't rush the romance. They became good friends for the first half or so before moving to lovers. That is rarely done these days and reason why I liked it so much. Heroine was a strong & witty character who was at times the one pushing for them to move from "just friends" because Hero valued her as a friend and didn't want to lose her. It was fun to see him struggle to fight his feelings and she did not make things easy for him! 😂

Hero was also this Alpha dude with a heart of marshmallow in the center. He was one moment a kick ass dude with awesome cyber & sex skills, and the next a somewhat shy & vulnerable man. I just loved the way he did everything for Paige & stuck to her like glue from the time they met - not to mention how he used his "skills" to keep an eye on Paige (that was fun to watch Paige try to find his tracking devices and destroy them! 😁)

So outside of that initial beginning with hero, the rest is really a 5 star read... Well almost.

So back to story... After they became a couple, something happens which causes a rift. This was yet another of my pet peeves that I hated he brings home a woman to fuck but he doesn't go through it , hence for the 3 stars. I wish author had not incorporated that part because I hate plot points like that! BUT the emotional pain & heartache that action caused on Paige was worth it for me because I could literally feel her pain through the pages!

When Hunter finally gets his head out of his ass and goes to find Paige, I LOVED how Paige wouldn't forgive him or excuse his behavior! Typically we have heroines roll over & forgive once Hero states ILY and The End. Not this heroine though. It took him explaining his heartbreaking past for her to understand why he acted the way he did. For those who want to know, here it is:

Hunter fell in love in Junior High with a girl whom he dated for a couple of years and when she got pregnant and had a little girl, he thought he had become a Father. However, he didn't know that she was f**g his Father for over a year and that the kid was his father's until a blood test was done on the baby 4 days after she was born. Heartbroken & angry at the double betrayal from the 2 people he loved & trusted, he also gets another hit by his father yet again when he decides to divorce his mother and leave her homeless & penniless. So he then uses his cyber skills to clean out his dad and leave him penniless.This action caused him to go to jail for 2 yrs but it also gave him his step-sister when both bio parents left her with his mom to raise! This whole experience made him bitter & cautious with getting involved with another woman, hence for his manwhore ways which BTW he said that he was attracted to Paige from first glance and used the OW in order for her to stay away from him and not develop any feels. To be honest, that part didn't make sense because for the six weeks he was having sex with random women, he had not known Paige at all so I did not buy that excuse.🤬)

So while I loved the actual story - the romance & friendship development, as well as the 2 main characters individually, the parts I mentioned was a kill-joy for me. I was also disappointed in the ending & Epilogue as this was a HFN with not even an ILY exchange. It was left to interpret that they do love each other and they were together. But no wedding talk? No baby talk? Nothing? Ugh--No. If I have to invest my time reading something, I NEED a HEA ending with hearts & flowers and all bows tied! Come on Authors! Stop being lazy!!!

So do I recommend? Yes & No. If you can stomach to read a Hero who has sex with OW before he & heroine even meet, then yes, I do. But if you have pet peeves like me, I would still recommend you read it but perhaps skip Chapter 1 & 22 which would perhaps spoil it as it has the "heart" of major "feels" in those 2 chapters & what made it somewhat special for me.

Safety:
- No OW drama (except for the spoiler mentioned above). Some OM in the form of heroine's ex coming back to cause problems but she doesn't want him. She pushes him away.
- Hero has sex with OW before meeting heroine and she sees him doing the deed.
- No rape or abuse
- No HEA. Just HFN & Epilogue showing them "together".

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spy thy neighbour by Shandi Boyes a mind altering five-star read. This is the seventh book in the Enigma series but can be read as a stand-alone, I have read all of the books in the series and enjoyed each book in order. This was sucha great story, each book seems to get better as you see some of the same events from different sides and more of the story is revealed, but I can imagine that reading as a stand-alone would be just as good.
Paige Turner New York times best-selling author (Best author name ever) tells us her story, it’s a story of love and loss and how you should always follow your dreams. Paige has had a rotten time recently. Running away to a cabin by the sea sounds like the perfect way for a writer with a looming deadline and a broken heart to get over the block she has and get her latest novel completed. But sometimes just because it should be the perfect salve doesn’t mean it is. No that honour goes to the tattooed, bearded hottie next door.
Hunter Kane the man with the glistening chest and a gift for arching women over every surface possible, he lives in a glass house and appears to have nothing to hide, the perfect muse for a writer that is struggling with a block. Hunter has always been the background man, the one in the shadows, it was nice to see him come to light.
This book was amazing, we have seen Hunter in a light we haven’t seen him before, and I lived reading about a writer and how the story comes to life. Well done Shandi Boyes, I can’t wait for book eight, I wonder who we will see next.

[Terry Mcinnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda awful

Nothing adds up in this book, the dialogue is dreadful between the two leads (there's a lot of "I snarled ##insert some dialogue## playfully", no snarls that often at the start of a relationship or friendship). I found the descriptive paragraphs exceedingly tedious and found myself skipping those so I could just get to their conversation. The guy sends numerous mixed messages and is just awful the girl is annoying and to be honest I just assumed they had a HEA and I didn't bother reading the last 28% of the book. I don't recommend this book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

“You’ve got to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you’ve got, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget. Learn from mistakes, but never regret.”

Spy Thy Neighbor is the seventh book in the Enigma Series by Shandi Boyes. This book is definitely one of my favourite reads for the year so far. From the moment I read the blurb, I was hooked. I knew I was going to love it- and I did, and then some!!! This is definitely my favourite of the series so far. With each new instalment, Ms. Boyes just ups the ante and surpasses the previous novel. Even though each book is superb in its own right, the series as a whole is really divine, so if you haven’t read them- you really should, you won’t be disappointed.
Paige Turner is an award winning author with numerous best sellers under her belt. But for the past three months she has been suffering from a severe bout of writers block. She hasn’t been able to write a word, which is a major problem considering she has a deadline looming for the submission of her next novel- and she hasn’t written a word. Not one! She is so desperate for some sort of inspiration; she rented a cottage in a beautiful beachside setting in the hope of finding her writing mojo. She thinks her run of luck really must have run out, and is at the point where she is about to give up when she notices her gorgeous, naked and incredibly ‘talented’ next door neighbour. His regular performances, with a bevy of different beautiful women, captures Paige’s attention and sparks her creative juices. He becomes the inspiration for her next novel and the words begin flowing quicker than she can write. But one night he catches her spying on him in the middle of a tryst. What happens next will turn her world upside down.
With secrets, deadlines, mystery and intrigue, conniving ex’s, and a little danger- this story will keep you riveted right from the start. Who is this mysterious, sexy neighbour? What happens when he catches her spying? Will she get enough ‘material’ to finish her story? What happens when secrets are revealed?
What we have here is a brilliant, complex and captivating story. There is so much to love about this book- from the sexy, captivating storyline; to the witty dialogue; and to the wonderful, quirky, mysterious, interesting and likeable characters.
There are so many funny moments throughout this story that had me grinning like an idiot. There were also emotional moments where I had tears in my eyes. Ms. Boyes created some wonderful angst with a bit of push and pull, and built thick, palpable tension and chemistry between Paige and Hunter, then add in the red hot, panty melting sex scenes and the story soars into the stratosphere.
I’m seriously looking forward to the next instalment…. I can’t wait!
Kudos!!!!

Thank you Ms. Boyes!

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (7/13/2018)!💝

Blurb:
I flew across the country with one goal on my mind.... finish my book.... and maybe lick the wounds of my shredded heart.

My editor was screaming for the first draft, my agent was nagging for teasers, and my publisher was reminding me that my strict deadline was only months away. However, there was a dilemma. I had writer's block. Not just a little spanner thrown into the works writer's block. Writers. Block. As in staring at the blinking light on my Mac monitor begging for a stream of words to magically appear.

This was not my first rodeo, though. I am a well known and respected author. I just can't write about romance, flowers, and butterfly kisses when all I want to pen is my own rendition of Basic Instinct. Ice picks to the heart, forks in eyes, and knees slammed into assholes crotches are not solid key pointers for a sweet romance novel.

Just as I was about to throw down the gauntlet and call in my defeat, I spotted him. The bearded, tattooed man who lives in the glasshouse next door. He was in a venereal, lust filled twist with a pretty blonde who had buxom bosoms and legs that went for miles. I should have looked away. I should have respected his privacy. I should not have opened my notepad and took detailed dot points on his technique. However, every precise thrust of his hips, snippets of his well-carved physique, and droplets of sweat running down his glistening torso had words flowing quicker than I was able to write them. He was my inspiration, my muse, my next book alpha male.

My plan was working. The words were flowing, and they were magnificent, by far my best work to date. My editor was in love with the first half of my draft, my agent was using snippets of the first two chapters to secure big endorsement deals, and my publicist was talking about a new three book deal.

Everything was perfect.... until the bearded stranger spotted me spying on him.

[Jean]

When your central conflict could be resolved with a single sentence that your character just doesn't think to say "Paige is my middle name, and only my asshole ex insists on calling me by my first name," you have entered into the Idiot Plot. The rest of the narrative was not bad, but that part was just so damn contrived.

There was also a loooooooot of self-insert author-avatar stuff that I didn't particularly care for, like Paige condemning readers for criticizing comma over-or-underuse (while the author consistently underused hyphens and misused semicolons) and the fact that Paige wrote two books that shared titles with the author's own novels. It was just a bit too cutesy and in-joke-y for me.

One more thing: womb is NOT a sexy word!! Stop trying to make 'womb' happen, it's not going to happen.

If you like the other books by this author, give it a whirl. Otherwise, it's a fine, mindless beach-read, but nothing spectacular.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I haven't read any other books in the series, and the author was a new one for me. I enjoyed the mysterious nature to Hunter's character, but some of the things he did and what he said to Paige I didn't like. It was a little slow getting into some of the plot and had it focused more on the content and fast paced nature of the second half of the story, I probably would have enjoyed it even more. I didn't dislike the book, just wasn't quite my favorite.....but I did enjoy it overall.

[Holly Bargo · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF - Not for me

The hero is an "observed" slit of the male variety, which is supposed to be sexy, but isn't. The heroine repeatedly says she's seldom awkward, but is seldom anything but. Although the writing is effective and I detected no typos or other editing glitches, the story did not hold my interest. Perhaps I'm getting too old for books like this.

[Maz Moderatrix · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another "author" in search of an editor. Does she know what murky means? Rife??? The continuity is way off. What happens to the dog? Why does he just give up on money sex in his glasshouse??

[Maggie'may Reinders · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly written cliche

I can handle cliche books they are sometimes fun to read. However this had no structure the characters were annoying and it was frankly just boring.

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my second book by this author, the first was a DNF, and I think I just need to give up after this one.

Paige, the FMC, was incredibly annoying. The one thing she had going for her were some of her quick comebacks that were, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. However, my main criticism of her character was her desperation. After shamelessly ogling her neighbor having sex three to four times a week—with different women each time—she was ready to step out of her panties for him if he'd have offered his services. After they meet officially, he's the one who pulls the friend card on her because he actually likes her and can already tell that she's not like his usual conquests. She'd be hurt if he screwed her once and then never did it again. Of course, she's super unhappy with that, and I think her pride/ego takes a bit of a hit. Doesn't stop her though from constantly muttering little snarky remarks or innuendos under her breath. For example, they were just talking about Isaac and Izzy getting it on, and she says "Twice in one night? Lucky girl." His retort is to deflect and change the subject. Normally, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that, but stuff like this is a recurring thing. Hunter drew a line, and she kept pushing and dropping childish hints that she's wide open for the taking if he would just take her out of the friend zone.

Hunter wasn't any better. He kept dropping vague statements about how he wasn't good enough for her, he got very defensive when she asked normal questions trying to get to know him better. At one time he actually snapped at her telling her to "shut up". He ran hot and cold so many times it was getting old. Why put her in the friend zone only to flirt with her and make her think he'd change his mind about screwing her brains out? I mean, hey even went skinny dipping and NOTHING happened!

Now on to the story/writing. Paige being an author on a deadline secluded in a beach cabin with a manwhore neighbor who lives in a literal glass house and gets off on having his sexcapades being observed seemed like a great way to start this story. Kudos to Hunter for quitting the parade of women after they'd officially met, and he decided to help her fix her laptop. But then he decided they should be friends without the benefits, leaving Paige sexually frustrated and becoming increasingly desperate. I didn't find anything he said or did worthwhile sticking around for hoping he'd come around, but she certainly did. It was Hunter or bust. Keep in mind, this comes on the heels of her just having figured out that her fiancé had been cheating on her for (three years? I'm too lazy to go back and check) some time, hence why she escaped to the seaside to write. Then the story got confusing. He needed her help doing some type of surveillance. He needed her to cause a distraction—from him—yet he was going to show up in his usual attire of jeans and a plaid button down. If you're like, WTF? You're not alone. She had a point when she observed that he stood out like a sore thumb next to her. And don't get me started on his occupation. He's kind of a computer whiz, hacker, programmer, billionaire, security guard of sorts?

The push-pull goes on for well over half the book until she threatens to leave if he can't/won't open up and allow her to get to know him. Note, she hasn't divulged anything about her trust issues thanks to her cheating ex, nor anything about her real name and family background. Only the reader knows all of this, but they both kind of suck at communicating properly. Anyway, they finally have sex, and I'm underwhelmed at this point. Skipping ahead, some drama happens, and they both react in the worst way possible. There's a lot of hurt to go around, a short separation before they both spill all of their emotional baggage in the second to last chapter!

I didn't buy the sexual chemistry between them. Perhaps because it felt like one was more interested than the other for the longest time. Even his attempts at being flirty crumbled under the weight of his grumpiness whenever she asked him anything personal. Both of them were boring individuals, and I have no excuse for why I kept reading on except my curiosity had me in a chokehold to figure out what the hell kind of stick was up his butt.

And my last criticism is in regards to the description of wonder, surprise or bafflement. The following were used on rotation frequently enough to be very noticeable. It's like the thing called a thesaurus doesn't exist.

- My brows furrow / hit the edge of my hairline / meet my hairline / become lost in my hair.
- Hunter's brows bow.
- My eyes rocket to his / to Hunter / between something / around something

- I always knew he'd rocket my core to the next galaxy;
- He hasn't just rocketed my core; he's demolished it, destroying me for any man who may come after him.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author, and I loved reading it so much that I was sad for it to end.

The book follows Paige, an author battling writers block who spies on her sexy neighbor as inspiration for her next romance novel, which she is struggling to write. One day, Hunter confronts Paige alerting her that he is aware that she is spying on him and the women that he brings home. Paige turns down his drunken offer to join him in a threesome, thus starts the beginning of a great friendship. The author does a great job creating a foundation for these two characters that is full of fun, friendship, and sexual tension that isn't acted on without a lot of anticipation and hope from the reader. From there, these characters have ups and downs, but the whole time I couldn't put the book down as I wanted to know where they were going next. I look forward to reading more from this author and the rest of the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Steffi De Ceuster ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say I've read a book that was a a bit like this one. But to be honest I liked this one a wee bit more.
It was so a bit emotional, but a lot of steamy as well. I'm still not entirely sure about Hunters real job, because I didn’t read the previous books in the series. I'm kind of tempted, but this one spoke the most to me from them.

Paige has wasted around 7 years of her life if we are going to be honest. She didn’t know it at that time, but thinking back on it all if it all didn’t go this way would she have met Hunter? Probably not is my guess. So I'm glad it went that way in a not cruel heartless way.
Hunter is an intriguing person who I liked exploring along with Paige. I would buy the Hunter altered Paige book. Because I kind of felt the same as Hunter when she read the steamy scene for him and it was with flowers. It kind of can be poetry but for me it’s just weird..

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thoroughly enjoying this story until the same cheesy lines kept being used over and over again. I would’ve been okay if they were repeated just to show that the H & h understood each other or whatever but they just kept repeating them and it was in every serious/pivotal scene/conversation.

“Don’t destroy me, Paige.”
(Different scene) “Don’t destroy me, Hunter.”
(Another scene) “You’re going to fucking destroy me.“

“Experience it, taste it, devour it.”
(Different scene)”To feel you, taste you, devour you.”
(Another scene) “I felt it, tasted it, devoured it.”

[Andrea B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read the stories prior to this.
At the beginning of the book I was little hesitant on if this had an actual story or was just all heat but I kept going to see. Once I got past the beginning to where they actually met it took off from there. From the 1st meeting I was a little worried on how to recover from that show but do not let it fool you. These characters are layered and it just sucks u right in. I loved it and could not put it down

[Brenda . · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't have high hopes for this book just because of the title. It definitely started out as I thought it would but then it took a real twist in the story and it was really good! I really enjoyed the surprise of the plot. Nicely done!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter ....nemám co říci, naprosto jsem se do něj zamilovala.

[Yvette89 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Each book and each character make you fall in love with them. Paige and Hunter are neighbors. She rents the cabin next to his glass house. A romance author who is suffers from writer’s block needs a muse. She can see everything and Hunter gives quite the performance. She secretly named him Archer. When she is caught spying, he quickly friend zoned her.But Paige gets mixed signals from Hunter. Friends or more? We get some back and forth, sexual tension and great characters with quirky and fun personalities. I was not expecting Hunter.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shandi Boyes]

Will be available this week!

[Coral]

Moved away at 37%. This heroine is a judgy prude. She slut-shames the women who have sex with her neighbor who she’s spying on for inspiration for her erotic romance. Yeah, those women are definitely the party deserving of scorn in this situation. And for an erotic romance writer to not know what a voyeur is is pretty unbelievable.

[Chantelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Paige flies across in country with only one goal in mind, to finish her book. With her editor wanting her first draft, and her agent wanting teasers of the upcoming book Paige had never more felt the impending deadline of her upcoming book, but there was a problem she has serious writers block, not just normal writers block but just staring at the computer screen, waiting for words to magically appear writers block. Being a well-known and respected author Paige was used to having a mind and writers block, but even more so when she is trying to write a romance novel, she just can’t find the right words to write it, but just as she is about to give up she spots him. The gorgeous bearded, tattooed man who lives in the glasshouse next door. He was in the midst of being tangled up with pretty blonde, she should have looked away, she should have respected his privacy but instead she opened her notebook and starting taking details notes on the view she was watching. Just seeing this it had her words flowing quicker than she was ever able to write them. He was her inspiration, her muse, her next book alpha male.

With her editor loving the first part of her draft, the words continued to flow. It’s her best work to date!
Everything was perfect…until the bearded stranger spotted her spying on him.

Spy Thy Neighbour is book 7 in the Enigma series, that can be read as a stand-alone. This is my third book from Shandi Boyes I have read and I can’t wait to dive into another book of her, so that I can be as captivated with that as I was with this.

This book was captivating, sexy, thrilling and heart-pounding from beginning to end. The story-line and characters of this book really hooked me and kept me turning page after page. I was too afraid to put this book down in case I missed anything.

This book had it all from romance, to friendship, happiness, jealously, passion, angst, anger, heartache but most importantly love. It has you laughing, smiling, sad, mad and feeling frustrated that the characters couldn’t quit fighting they undeniable electric connection, and the heart-breaking scene when truths are revealed. This book was sexy, sizzling and heart pounding. We may get a lot of back-and forth with these characters but through it all you can tell they can not only feel the connection, they are no longer unable to deny it. I loved the slow developing friendship they these two characters had, from their nightly dinners to late night swimming. This is a brilliant stranger to friend and friend to lover story with the added extra’s.
We get to read the characters have hot sexy scenes, romantic scenes, heart pounding moments. This book was brilliantly paced, and the characters and their relationships were real and never felt rushed.

My one thing I really would have loved from this book was that it was written in dual POV’s. I really would have loved to find out what Hunter thought and felt through numerous occasions in this book. But that didn’t change my opinion of this book, it was still epic without it.

You don’t really get much of a backstory about Paige. But you can tell from just meeting her she is independent, passionate and strong. She knows when to focus but she also knows when she needs to take a step back and experience life for herself. Finding out a snippet of her life before she moved to the cabin, you would have never had known she went through a break up. But through this book you can understand why. After meeting Hunter, a new Paige comes to life, she is confident and shows a little cheeky side to her, when she gives replies she would never think of replying. I like that she starts to use her own experiences to create her book, and she is isn’t afraid to experiment. I absolutely love Paige as a character.

Hunter is a mystery to all. We get a brief glimpse of him in Book 6 in Beneath the Sheets, but to us he is a mystery until this book. He is laid bare(literally). His appearance is deceiving as you find out he is one of the most intelligent, caring protective man you could meet. He has a career that he loves, but also made secret. But you would never expect is for him to be the person he is when he is around Paige. The friendship they blossom all because he doesn’t want to treat her like the rest of the women he had in his life. He has trust for Paige in so many ways, with finding out his job, learning about her story about him, and his past. They have an unbelievable sizzling connection, and I loved seeing Hunter’s walls crumble around Paige, and when he touches, smells and falls for her he will never let go!

This is an amazing sexy, captivating read that will hook you and grip you from the beginning. I hope this isn’t the last we read of Hunter & Paige’s story, I cannot wait to read Book 8 in this series, with the intro of something Special.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spy Thy Neighbor: The Story of Hunter Kane (Enigma Book 7) by Shandi Boyes is the seventh book in her Enigma series. This book can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend going back and reading the rest of the series as they are just as great as this one. One thing that I love about this author is that when I open her book to the first page I know that I am in for a ride. Her writing is engaging and true to life. Her characters are both love able and connectable. Her story will pull you in from the first word and you will not want to put it down once you started. Find out what happens when an author has writers block and what she does to get her inspiration.

She is an author that has one thing on her mind, to finish her novel and maybe heal her wounded heart. Her publisher has been after her for something from her novel that will be soon coming out. Her problem, writers block. She has been staring at her Mac with a blinking curse and she has nothing. She just can't seem to write about what she is known for, romance when she just wants to make the characters suffer. Just as she was about to give up and throw the towel in, she sees him. He is a bearded, tattooed man who lives in the glasshouse next door. She spotted him with a blonde, knowing she should just look away and leave, what does she do? She opens up her notebook and starts taking notes on his techniques. Her words were flowing faster then she could keep up. She has found her inspiration, her muse, her next alpha male. This was great, it was working, first couple of chapters sent to her publisher then he spots her watching him. What will happen when he sees her spying on him?

These characters are so great that you will just want to see more of them. Their relationship is not a traditional one as it starts out with her spying on him. When they eventually become friends, is there a chance that they could become more? Do they have a chance for a happily ever after? You will enjoy their banter back and forth, they will make you laugh for sure. Just when they thought they were bonding, their pasts collide with the present. They both have a past but how will it effect them? She is a smart, sexy and got good at being sneaky until she got caught. He is a hot, sexy, alpha male that is a complete gentleman. You will just fall in love with them. One thing that you will love about this series and the author is that you never know what characters will pop up in her books until you read them. It has really kept this series exciting. Find out if the author finishes her novel and if they get a happy ending.

I have read all of the Enigma series by Shandi Boyes up to this point and I have loved them all. I know you will too. I can't wait to see which characters get their own book next! Shandi lives in Queensland, Australia with her husband and their children. She has been an avid reader but recently she has found her love of writing. This is a fast paced story that will keep you reading until the end. You will love how these characters really pop off the pages and into your life. This book will leave you wanting more even after it is finished. I highly recommend this book and all the books in this series. I know you will love this series as much as I have.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spy Thy Neighbor (Enigma Book #7)
Shandi Boyes
5 Stars
Spy Thy Neighbor is the 7th in the Enigma Series. This is Hunter Kane’s story, Hunter and Paige start of as strangers until they both get to know each other and become friends. As the weeks go by and their friendship grow so does the sexual tension between them. Paige wants more than anything to be with Hunter but Hunter is trying to keep it strictly friendship. Will the sexual tension win them both over or will they always stay in the friend’s zone?
“The trip to the gala is made in complete silence, my mind to baffled to configure speech. The confusion on my friendship with Hunter has reached a level of weirdness even someone as quirky as me can’t comprehend. Hunter is giving me different signals, left, right and center. He pulls out the friend’s card but then lavishes me with more attention than Riley ever issued me. He denies my advances but then gets friendly with my backside in an elevation full of strangers. He is confusing the heck out of me.”
Paige is a writer, when she finds her ex-fiancé cheating on her she moves across the country to write a book. She rents a bungalow in Bronte’s Peak, and her first night; her neighbor gives her a show that has inspired her new book. For six weeks Paige spy’s on him until one night he comes over and surprises her. She has named her neighbor and her main character Archer, but when she finally meets, her neighbor she find out his name is Hunter and he does things to her feelings and her body no man has ever done. When Paige try’s to show or tell Hunter how much she wants him in her bed he draws the friend card. She decides to play along for as long as she can.
Hunter lives in a glass house and he enjoys the fact his neighbor watches as he satisfies his latest conquest, but there is a deeper reason he parades his newest conquest in front of his neighbor. Hunter is very private person and when Paige try’s to integrate him for his past he just cannot open up. He enjoys spending time with Paige, but when he messes up on a job for his boss Isaac Holt, he asks Paige for her help in making up for his mistake. Can Hunter find his balance with his feelings for Paige?

Wow, is the first word that comes to mind with this book. This book and Hugo’s stories I love the most. This book had me laughing and smiling, the bantering has to my favorite. I love how Shandi puts u in the mindset of a writer in this book, u see the struggles and how and what gives her inspiration for her story. Hugo and Hunter’s stories remind me so much of my husband’s and mine's story. I love how friendship can turn into true love and this story is all about that. I want to say this is the 10th book I have read of Shandi Boyes, and I cannot wait for the next one. You can read this on its own but it does tie into Perception series, Isaac story and the end of Hugo’s story. Another reason to Love Shandi Boyes, she ties all her book together in little ways that mean so much if you have not read the books before.

[Lissanne Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I enjoyed this book so much! Paige is a successful, best-selling romance author who writes under a pseudonym. After finding her boring fiance cheating on her with an old high school friend, Paige rents a cabin on the other side of the country and flees to try and deal with the loss of her seven year relationship.

When she moves into the cabin, she notices the guy next door is hot. With a capital H. She surmises he is rich, with his house full of high tech gadgets, and it’s mostly made of glass. But what catches her attention is the seemingly unending stream of women he brings home. Archer, as she has dubbed him, never has the same woman there twice. Unable to avoid the sight – and sound – of his numerous conquests, Paige instead uses it as a cure for her writers block.

She delves into writing her new book, her best friend Quinn, affectionately known as Pepper, declaring it her best yet. Pepper is a wannabe actress with a strange fascination for cabana boys, and she is hilarious. Paige can’t help spying on her next door neighbour; he’s got the body of a God and she can’t bring herself to look away.

Until one day, while she’s out on the back porch, he spots her watching. Frozen in place, she’s unable to move as he strides over to her, without a stitch of clothing on, and boldly asks her if she’d like to join him and his companion for the night.

From there on is a wonderfully slow burning romance as Paige and Archer, whose name she finds out is actually Hunter, starting spending time together. They eat dinner every night and share little things about each other slowly. Paige starts to make it clear she wants more, and for reasons she can’t work out Hunter won’t give in to their mutual attraction. Eventually, though, he can’t resist her any more and they fall into a hot and heavy relationship.

They’re both hiding secrets from each other, though, and when Paige’s comes out Hunter gets it all wrong. For the sake of her crushed heart, Paige leaves and goes back home to California. Once Hunter realises he was wrong, he tracks her down and asks for forgiveness, but is it too late?

There is also a very sweet sub-plot about a particular book that Paige has been trying to find for years that will melt your heart. I adored both Paige and Hunter and will happily read this again.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spy Thy Neighbor: The Story of Hunter Kane (Engima Book 7)
By: Shandi Boyes
5 out of 5 stars

The story Spy Thy Neighbor: The Story of Hunter Kane (Engima Book 7) by Shandi Boyes is a contemporary romance book. I have loved every book in the Engima series and this one just adds to that love. This author has written stories that make me quickly turn pages to find out what happens next. The characters that she has created are unforgettable and I am always rooting for them to get their happy ending. My emotions ran high when I read this book. I was frustrated that these two kept dancing around the issue of their feelings for each other at first, then I was so happy when they began to open up to each other. I really, really enjoyed the bantering back and forth between this couple. It gave the story a humorous side and I love that in a book.

The story behind how this couple met is not the traditional one. She is an author and has writer’s block. She needs to start and finish her next novel, however, the ideas just aren’t coming. Then she sees her next-door neighbor. Watching him starts the words flowing again. Now her editor, agent, and publicist are happy and things are starting to look up. Then it happens, her neighbor spots her watching him. What starts out as spying turns into something more. Will these two take their relationship out of the friend zone and take a chance on having something more? Sometimes the past can show up just when it is least convenient. Will this couple be able to hold onto their feelings for each other while coming to terms with their past?

This is another awesome book by an awesome writer. Every book I have read by her is amazing and I always look forward to her next one. This book can be read as a standalone, however, personally, I believe that this entire series should be read to fully enjoy the characters. There are references to events in previous books and other characters and I found that reading them in order gave me a smoother experience. I highly recommend getting each book and have a book marathon. Put them at the top of your TBR list. This story does include adult content and sexual references. It would be for those 18 years of age or older.

[LMR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spy Thy Neighbor: The Story of Hunter Kane By: Shandi Boyes
Are You A Voyeur... or DO You "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" By Chance!?!
When you "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]," you should LOOK Away...
Especially, when you "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" doing the N@UGHT¡€$T things!
HowEver, IN My defense...
I was desperate, as the "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" STARTed,
Sooo, I wasn't ExXxactly rational... RIGHT!
Cuz WHY else would I NOT only "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" once...
But then make "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" a HUGE parts of My Day!?!
Well... I'll tell you WHY~
Cuz when I "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" I'm inspired to Write,
Plus, as they saying goes, LIVE by the Pen...
And I TRULY LIVE by the Pen, as I'm an Author!
Sooo, My Desperation & subsequent Inspiration are explained,
And when My Neighbor catches Me... Ohhh Boy!
"[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" suddenly takes another path...
And SomeHow, I think My inspiration from "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor|42152585]" is going to LAST!
Even though I already owned Shandi Boyes' "[Book:Spy Thy Neighbor: The Story of Hunter Kane|42152585]," I agreed to review it as an ARC for Her via B00|{$P®0UT. I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading!
My Rating Sytem:
4🌟: I like IT a lot. Great, Solid Story w/ few if any inconsistencies or errors. This is a HIGH Rating, & I rarely give OUT a Higher Rating.
If My Review is helpful to you, please check the box below~ Thank You.

[Janice Salotti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful. Zero stars, if possible.

I have to wonder if English is not the native language of the author. I'm glad when authors avail themselves of a thesaurus, but the chosen word should make sense in context. All throughout this book that was not the case.

Paige is an author who doesn't know the word "voyeur" and she is incorrectly called one several times. She's a peeping tom, not a voyeur.
She doesn't know what a hard drive is.
Misspelled Mother Teresa. No "h" in Teresa.
Chapter 1 she drops the computer and picks up the pieces.
Chapter 4 she's writing on the same computer. How?
"sullied eyes" check her out
Hunter has " wholesome" eyes
She speaks "through the tumbleweeds in (her) throat"
"swallowing to dislodge the brick in my throat"
"I toss open the car door."
"stumble words out"
Her eyes "categorize his home"
"Glass bar stools"
"overstarched ties" ties don't get starched
" would have...went and hid" wrong tense
Her readers are a " vivacious audience "
"weird sensation inpinging the air" "impinging" was used incorrectly again
"Our bizarre kinship dampens when the shrill of a cell phone fills the void of silence.
use of " teenybopper"
A quick "tap on the door bellows up the spider staircase"
"A misting of fluid hampers my vision."
"clink of laughter", repeated
" A sting of pain inflicts my lip"
"his hair is saturated wet"
"he smirks a grin"
"incriminatory behavior"
"noticing my nervy expression" - nervous
soft beards do not prickle - this mistake again and again
"heat in the (elevator) car turned rife"
He expects to attend a 10k a plate dinner in a shirt and torn jeans thinking that if she's in a gown no one would notice. Absurd!

Add expository paragraphs that drag and add little to the whole and detailed sex scenes that are merely purile. Scene changes with no reason or explanation. She puts her suitcase in his car, but they're only going dress shopping. Oh wait, the dinner is out of town. Back at the cabin she exits the car, without taking her suitcase, and is then packing it in her room.

This seriously needs an editor with a red pen to become a worthwhile book

Other reviewers must not have read the same book.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Spy Thy Neighbor is the latest book in the Enigma series by Shandi Boyes. This book can be read as a standalone if you haven’t read any of the others in the series but I would highly recommend them because they are all amazing! I think it’s fair to say I have completely fallen in love with this authors books! They are just amazing to read. From the very first page until the last I am captivated by her words. They just flow seamlessly and her characters are amongst the best I have ever read about. I am fortunate to have read all of the books in this series and Isaac was always my favourite but now Hunter has come along and for the first time I think Isaac has a rival for my affections! Hunter was y–u–mmy (he is that hot I needed to break it down into syllables!!) and I mean seriously yummy! Oh gosh even thinking about him now has me all hot and bothered! I felt myself hanging off his every word and the first scene between him and Paige when he was helping her write the sex scenes for her book just wow – I actually think my kindle may have melted! As with all of these authors books there are some twists and turns that make it just that little bit more exciting to read. I loved both of the characters in the book. Paige was great, I loved how the book started with her ‘spying’ on Hunter – she had quite a few funny moments! I honestly wasn’t expecting the twist of her background either so the author did well to conceal that! I really don’t even know where to start with Hunter – I think I may have mentioned how yummy he was! Obviously having read the previous books I knew of him as he appears a few times but I didn’t know anything about him and now I do I love him! He has his own past which was unexpected too but explains a lot of why he acted the way he did, especially when it came to Paige. I think I definitely need to read this book again so I can re-live the moment Hunter came into my life!!
As always I am eagerly anticipating the next release from this author – I know it’s going to be another good one!!