The Enemy Next Door

The Football Boys #2

by Rebel Hart

From #1 bestselling author Rebel Hart comes a new Standalone High School Football Romance that will give you all the feels.

Colin Undinger was my first friend, first crush, first kiss… until one day he made it to the High School Football Team and somehow became my first enemy.

Five years later, no one knows why we are nasty to each other. He’s now the school star, causing me to be the unpopular school bitch.

Why should I care, though? I don’t love him anymore. I just need to keep ignoring him. Right?

Wrong.

When both his parents suddenly die and my mom offers him to stay with us my plan is screwed.

No matter if he is so heart-broken, so gorgeous, so close…

He broke my heart once, I won’t let him get closer again.

Even if he’s the only one who can make it race.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Sports, Football, High School, College Romance

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2020

About the author

Rebel Hart is an author of Dark and Contemporary Romance novels. Her debut series is a #1 Amazon Bestseller called Diamond In The Rough. It's a High School Bully Romance with five books and a novella. Book one is Play With Me.

Check out her website for a full list of her books:
www.RebelHart.net

Text REBEL to 77948 to don't miss any of her books (US only) or sign up on her website to get an email alert when her next book is out.

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this, but it was a real letdown. I want to preface by saying that I read all types of tropes/ storylines. Depending on my mood I might be in the mood for a PG rated read or a R+. And unlike many people I see reviewing the age doesn’t really matter to me, it’s the maturity that gets to me. If the characters are in High school but with are mature, I can enjoy a mature storyline. If they are immature, then I expect to see more of the PG storyline. The characters are both mad about something that happened when they were 12, neither have tried to make up with the other, both basically say the other was the “love of their life” referring to how much they loved the other, THEN... At 12? The author is pitching this story like we should believe it’s true love. Ok they did nothing but behave like they are still in middle school for the entire book, so in PG land I could make it work. These are kind of immature cutesy ideas and I could have enjoyed the story for what it was written well etc. Until you consider the second big issue that directly explains the line crossing... I won’t lie I’m not a fan of the hero and heroine sleeping around aground after their story starts. But the way it was done in this book was just wrong? The hero is dating and screwing the mean girl, which lets be honest is just so overdone at this point. Still I liked him more than her, because at least he and the mean girl break up at the beginning. And his immaturity errs more on the side of cute rather than me angry and annoying. He’s like the clueless jock on a sitcom. The heroine is written as beyond over dramatic and immature with the whole “turned to wearing black over a middle school break up” thing(and in so many other) ways. Yet she has been screwing one of her teachers for the last year. And yes, actively, we had current scenes of this in the book, yay (insert eye roll). The author wrote them holding onto this middle school crush mentality, but screwing other people... Ok I guess but it’s not like it was just in the past or “off camera”. After having a small interaction with the hero (but he didn’t do anything to deserve mistreatment or anything) she is running off to the teacher dropping to her knees begging to suck him off. He literally has to pull her off and explain that it’s not a good time. And I know the instinct is to think that there is an immaturely issue because he is the teacher and the villain, but the entire first half of the book she is the aggressor and the author makes sure that we know how into it she is. The author tried to switch it up midway by having him act possessive when he though she was breaking up with him, but it was just weird because it was all her for all of these sexual situations previously. The girl has constantly referred to the teacher as her boyfriend, she wasn’t the least bit afraid of him etc Then suddenly she is nervous to break up with him and decides to keep “dating” him for a few more weeks. Eventually there is some psychotic behavior on the part of the teacher, but if the author wanted to take it that route and have it be believable she should have dropped hints earlier. It felt more like she wanted to make the female character seem like some badass vixen or something until it wasn’t convenient. Either way, that didn’t work because she was so freaking immature. She’s a brat. The whole “nervous so I had better keep dating him” thing was after she and the hero started to sleep together btw. So that was another negative. I’ve read some questionable stuff for sure, but a seeing the heroine act like she is 13/14 but then run off to the teachers classroom for midday sex is just weird. Overall the immaturity, but hyper sexual aspect gives an ick feeling that I don’t recall ever feeling even when the characters are in High school. I know it’s not me, because even in some really morally questionable reads my conscious has been clear and I enjoy the story. It has to be the way this is written. The long story short is that this book just isn’t any good.

[Lauren miss.reads.alot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book truly has a little bit for everyone, whether you like high school romance, taboo romance, enemies-to-lovers romance, sports romance, bully romance.... you can find a little bit of it all here. The only thing missing is a little RH action, because when is more hot guys not better then one? haha

Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that is not just a friends-to-enemies-to lovers romance. Yes, at the center of it all, that is what it is, but the story has so many other elements that make it so much deeper then that. Which makes for a really amazing read. I was able to sit down and devour this book in about 4 hours, so its not super long or super short. Its a good length and doesn't have all the extra, unnecessary stuff.

I couldn't go all the way to 5 stars because, for me, there wasn't enough sexy time. And what was present wasn't detailed and through the way that I would prefer. Now, with all that being said, that is completely my opinion and not a hit to the book at all. In fact, I'm sure that a lot of people will disagree with me because it is based in High School and the character are under 18. I just personally enjoy some good sex in my books, no matter what. #sorrynotsorry

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't this book a great surprise. A story of how a simple misunderstanding can change the direction of two people who were meant for each other from the beginning. Lots of surprises and also a taboo subject within this book made it an entertaining read that I couldn't put down.

[Kori Dicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh this was a great one! So much suspense and several plot twists!
another hit by Rebel Hart! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Gemma Owen-Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book in The Football Boys series but is considered a standalone. The author Rebel Hart always surprises me with each of her books and I have enjoyed reading every single one of them. This book fitted more into a Young Adult Sport Romance genre compared to her other books but this still did not put me off from reading The Enemy Next Door. As always there is romance, drama and action included in this book. I could not put this book down.

Tatiana amd Colin were one middle grade best friends and close to sweethearts until a mis-understanding happens at school. Five years later and these two are now enemies. A heartbreaking situation occurs with Colin where he has to move in with Taitana and her parents. Slowly and surely there differences can be put aside whi h eventually leads to romance. However Val, the science teacher is another hurdle in their way for Colin and Tatiana to truly be together.

[alina boop · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I was the one that threw myself at Val and when he finally found himself without the ability to resist me, we started up a relationship. Well, as much of a relationship as a 16-year-old student and a teacher could have, which mostly included classroom sex and the occasional lying to parents to spend the night at his house. We couldn’t go out together, our town was too small.”

This book was fucking creepy, I’m glad this relationship wasn’t really romanticized and shown how dangerous an age gap and an illegal situation like this involving underage kids can become.

The creepy thing was people knew and like they would’ve done nothing without the big thing happening. Like that’s the scary thing. Like people knew and they just let this relationship continue.

I thought Tatiana was a bitch, like a major bitch. She was mean to Colin no matter what he did, his parents literally died and she was mean to him. Like that’s so rude.

I thought Tatiana’s relationship with Colin was weird. They just seemed wrong for each other in the end.

[Liz (LoverOfBooks80) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADORED ADORED ADORED

Rebel done it again - gorgeous, absolutely loved Colin and Tatiana.

What a beautiful story x

Felt so much for these 2... so perfect together.. so glad things turned out right in the end.

Few surprises and twists, can’t recommend this enough.

[Stacey Timmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've given this a higher rating but I just can't get past how vile Tatiana was in the first half of the book. And her stupid reason as to why she hated Colin for 5 years. I'm sorry but for a 12year old to harbour that amount of hate is ridiculous.

Colin saved this book for me without him, I would've given up on it. He was sweet and loyal and maybe a little naive (Harlie) but he had so much shit thrown at him and he still managed to hold his head high.

[Nicole Rodriguez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth the time

I don't know how this book received high reviews. Storyline was terrible and the characters were annoying. I was unable to finish it (I hate to leave a book unfinished). The synopsis seemed hopeful, but the content let me down. Had high hopes but was easily let down.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I beta read this and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely loved Tatiana and Colin, there enemies to lovers was just such a sweet romance to happen. It’s a written masterpiece of how one persons view of what’s happening can be devastating and how it affects those around them. It’s got some subject matter in that for some can be triggering or not like.

This is a fantastic read and deserves the 5 ⭐️ ratings I have given it.

[Diana R. Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sigh

Yet another sweet story from a great author! It was such great brain candy that I couldn’t stop reading!! Highly recommend!

[Sam Larks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just wasn’t invested at all in this read, there was a lot of drama in it too (double murder, rumours and kidnapping...plus no-one wanted to phone the police for any of it)

It made it very unrealistic for me!

[Caitlin Beyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely atrocious. I read so many different kinds of romance every day, everything you can imagine. I’ll be the first to admit that I dislike books set in high school, so I shouldn’t have attempted this one. But I loved the book Team Hate by this author and thought another enemies to lovers book would be worth it. I was so very wrong. *also adding here I did not finish, but rather quit almost halfway in and skipped to the end hoping for drastic character growth. There was none*

Firstly, the heroine is absolutely immature. I mean just too much, even for high school. So is the hero but not in such a hateful way. The heroine and the hero both “hate” each other for their relationship going down the toiled when they were both 12 years old(!). The whole “her life became dull and colorless after her first heartbreak” and being the “school b*tch” was just too much to take 5 years later. Neither has tried to patch things up over a (silly) overreaction/misunderstanding?!



*spoilers!!!!*




Then hero’s parents die and the heroine has the nerve to be rude/ungrateful/hateful to her parents in front of this boy? Absolutely ridiculous. That was about when I gave up and skipped to the end. Oh also the heroine is in a secret relationship with her older teacher? And acts like some older vixen? It’s uncomfortable to read.

At the end it’s apparent that her parents found out about the teacher/boyfriend and he pulled some psycho stuff and tried to kill the hero?? Her parents say some crack like “keep your hands off this new teacher replacement” like ?????? Your daughter was in a relationship with a teacher it’s not that funny? And all she does is think “it’s uncomfortable when your parents talk about your sex life” and says “I was tricked! And I’m with Colin (the hero) now!” Like that makes it all better? The author spent the first half of the book making the heroine the aggressor in the relationship, saying she pursues him. Just ridiculous.


***end spoilers***


I loved Team Hats and will reread that but no more of this authors books unfortunately. Just soured me too much. I’ve never written a review before but just felt I had to get this out. Thank you for reading, even if you don’t agree. Everybody likes different things! Things that are tolerable for me, aren’t for other people and vice versa.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! I did not expect this from a teen sports friends to enemies to lovers type romance novel. This story took quite the different turn really early on.

Colin is a very sweet lead, someone, you as the reader can warm to quite quickly. To me, Tatiana is a less likeable character, who makes a series of really bad decisions that affect her life (and others), but given she makes life changing decisions at 12, 16 & 17, you hope that she’ll outgrow them in the future. That said, teens rarely make great decisions, so as a reader you can almost forgive of that. With the exception of her behaviour at the funeral, her general attitude was difficult to want to connect to. Tati’s BBF Billy, is also a very likeable genuine character and I hope somewhere down the track (even in a novella) that he gets his own story and happy ending.

I’m not opposed to taboo romances as such (YKOK) but this one felt really off from the beginning. Not sure if that was the intent of the Author or not. Whilst I appreciate the Judge’s verdict, and whole heartedly wish it was so IRL, the Heroine’s Father’s reaction and behaviour to Tati was terrible. Victim shaming is not okay ever, even if she made a terrible error of judgement. At least there were a couple of likeable adults (Tatiana’s Mother and Colin’s coach) in this story.

This was solid writing by the Author. It’s the first time I’ve read any of her stories. Colin and Billy were the redemption in this story for what I would normally class not exactly my cup of tea.

[Just A Little Book Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Enemy Next Door is a high school, enemies to lovers, sports romance. Tatiana and Colin used to be best friends... until they weren't. Over the next years they become enemies and can't even stand to be around each other. But when tragedy strikes and they are forced together again, will they be able to look back at what happened between them with clearer eyes? Will they be able to find their way back to each other?

As I said on Rebel's last standalone, I think her writing just continues to get stronger. There was great character development in this book as well as building on the relationship between the Tati and Colin. I do have to be honest that I initially did not like Tatiana. I felt that she was being stubborn and childish so I found it hard to relate to her but she did eventually grow on me. I liked Colin right away though and continued to like him throughout the book. I also liked Billy's character and would like to learn more about him. There were also some darker aspects to the book that I enjoyed and added some additional angst to it. So despite my initial reservations about Tatiana, I still enjoyed the book.

[Goose Mephistopheles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book right up until the end. The behavior of the parents in response to her affair with the teacher was atrocious. Blaming/shaming her months after the fact when not only was she hurt by him but kidnapped and sexually assaulted over a period of time but a minor during all of this. Her dad is over the top when it comes to her relationship with Colin but where the hell was he when the rest of this was going on? The off and on over attention to complete obliviousness really got to me. Otherwise this book was a good read. While at first I thought the original conflict between the two main characters was overdramatic, I think back to that age and how everything could seem so black and white, life or death.

[Monica Delarosa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot had potential, it is the execution that failed miserably. Hear me out on this, if the premise of the story had begun in the senior year of high school and the 5 years later at the senior year of college or even after, I could see the plot work flawlessly. The thing that bothered me the most is the heroine, she is the epitome of an immature brat. She wants to be a super intelligent person, but have tantrums and pout if someone doesn’t agree with her. Then, there’s the love of my life at 12 yrs old. That crap is unbelievable, at 12 I was thinking of my favorite Backstreet Boys song and which jeans should I buy. Don’t let me start on the teacher killer that was banging the heroine and got obsessed with her, that is a plot for another book altogether. 😩🤣

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The football boys. #2
These books are standalone so can be read in any order.

I really liked the Enemy next door. I found the concept of girls bullying boys difficult at first. I have no idea why. I really enjoy bully romance so I dont know why this was. Maybe i just like a strong female character who is able to take the bullying and still stand high...
I found I just felt so sorry for Collin. I prefer stronger males.

Tatiana was just plain nasty right from the very beginning.

But overall I really enjoyed this book as i always do with Rebels books.

Fab read as are all Rebel harts books.

[Gemsbookishvibe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensitive subjects dealt with in a sensitive way

The thing I loved most about this book is how Rebel has taken massively serious subjects that can cause emotional triggers for a lot of people, and dealt with them so sensitively. The storyline nurtured these subjects rather than using them as shock factor and even though there was suspense and drama, the seriousness of the situations was never played down.

Add in a misunderstanding between two people destined to be together and you have a wonderful story.

Highly recommended

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love me a taboo romance. Yeah I’m a bit of a freak, so sue me. This fantastic book does not disappoint! Good boy, Colin and secret bad girl, Tatiana are a perfect storm. This super story has a little sports, some major drama, a little bit of scary and a whole lotta love all folded up in a nice little locket. Another hit for Rebel Hart. ❤️

[Kbsblogging and reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book rebel hart writes as you at the edge of your seat. The enemy next door is her best yet. I devoured this book in one sitting.
Tatiana and Colin are enemies to lovers.
They go through a lot. The twists and turns in this book as you on a emotional roller-coaster ride.
Can't wait for the next installment
Highly recommend this book.

[Art of Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!
Couldn’t get enough of it once i started reading!
It definitely has something that everyone will love while reading!

Simple misunderstandings can change and go into a whole new direction when there is no sound communication.

Also loved the plot twists that had me going like what!? Lol

4.5 stars and I definitely recommend this!

[Lindsey Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebel has hit it again with this fabulous story. Tati and Collin's story is on full of twist and turns and right when you think you got it you don't. I love the fact that this author included a little of everything i love in this book. There was some bullying, enemies to lovers, and sports romance. I enjoyed reading this book very much and can't wait to see what Rebel has next for us

[Kya Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah

So, Rebel Hart is one of my all time favorite authors. This book wowed me like always, but there is a difference in this one than the others. Colin is my husband's name and my name is Kya. So imagine my face when I found out the mother's name is Kya and Colin is the main character!

[Sophie Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What another dramatic read!
Tatiana really ruined this book for me in the beginning, she was so horrible for an absolutely stupid reason it was insane.
Colin really made this book for me I loved him.
It was quite a quick read, nothing special but still enjoyable. That ending was drama filled though.

[Eddah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eeuw eeuw eeuw.
Teen h sleeping with her much older teacher crap should definitely be included in the synopsis. Or have a major warning heads-up label.
How you gonna trick us into thinking it's all about teenage romance?
Gross. Shudder.
Mind wipe.
That aside, she's going to get some when family friends are dead and in critical condition? Am out...

[Melissa Pettit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely shocked at first and returned it, but then I figured I wanted to read how they got together in the end. I am not a fan of many taboo storylines but I was able to get through it enough to finish the story. In addition to the shock value that brought them together? Shocking, to say the least, but at least it will stand out in my mind from all the rest! Lol

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Tati and Colin's story. It was so heartachingly good that I couldn't put my kindle down. I thought I figured out the story but it changed so many times which made me want to keep reading just to see how things ended up in the end. An emotional rollercoaster at its finest!!!

[Tanjanika Melton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book Full of Surprises

I say down and read this book in one day. I cou!d not put it down. Hated the lead female character at first but the more he fell in love with her the more I liked her too. Great read!

[Tatjana Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beware and be aware

Tatiana learns first hand how easily an impressionable youngster can be groomed and lead to believe it is love.
Fortunately, she has people looking out for and for her when everything goes haywire.