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Neighbor from Hell #7
Christmas from Hell
Falling in love is dangerous, especially when the last person that you want to fall in love with is the accident-prone neighbor determined to drive you out of your goddamn mind.
From New York Times bestselling author R.L. Mathewson comes the next installment in the disturbingly funny romantic comedy series, Neighbor from Hell.
Necie Dixon was used to tripping over her own two feet, setting a record for insurance claims for all those unfortunate accidents that she was really hoping would stop happening, but she would never be able to get used to the way that Duncan made her feel…or just how much he hated her.
She wanted more.
She wanted him.
But that was never going to happen, not when the incredibly handsome firefighter next-door only saw her as a little jinx, and no matter what she told herself, one mistake would never be enough to change that.
Something had to give. Duncan wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Between work and helping his family, he was exhausted and needed a break. He needed something more in his life, and he sure as hell needed a break from the little jinx next door that was driving him out of his mind.
He’d never expected to find himself drawn to her.
Never thought that he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her. And he sure as hell never thought that he would feel like his world was falling apart when he almost lost her.
From New York Times bestselling author R.L. Mathewson comes the next installment in the disturbingly funny romantic comedy series, Neighbor from Hell.
Necie Dixon was used to tripping over her own two feet, setting a record for insurance claims for all those unfortunate accidents that she was really hoping would stop happening, but she would never be able to get used to the way that Duncan made her feel…or just how much he hated her.
She wanted more.
She wanted him.
But that was never going to happen, not when the incredibly handsome firefighter next-door only saw her as a little jinx, and no matter what she told herself, one mistake would never be enough to change that.
Something had to give. Duncan wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Between work and helping his family, he was exhausted and needed a break. He needed something more in his life, and he sure as hell needed a break from the little jinx next door that was driving him out of his mind.
He’d never expected to find himself drawn to her.
Never thought that he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her. And he sure as hell never thought that he would feel like his world was falling apart when he almost lost her.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2015
816 people are currently reading
4672 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Mathewson
71 books15.5k followersNew York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews
December 20, 2015
‘He wasn’t annoying. He was far from being annoying. He was the helpful fucking one. Everyone fucking loved him, he told himself as he glared as the small woman continued to ignore him.’
When you pick up an RL Mathewson story you pretty much know what you’re going to get which sometimes isn’t a bad thing, in fact you’re guaranteed it’ll bring laughter, lots of food, stubborn and cocky Bradfords, a clumsy heroine and yeah….lots of food….which bears repeating.
‘She was always the one and on some level he’d always known, but he’d fucked up so many times with her that he was afraid that one more time would send her running and he couldn’t risk that.’
I thought Christmas From Hell felt like coming home insofar as to why I initially fell in love with this Author. I was in stitches of laughter at the Bradfords! For me, this family just never fail to shock me at their arrogance and food addiction – their pouting and hurt feelings when it comes to food withdrawal. Again, I’ve said it before – how the hell do I get into this family? I want IN!!!!
‘To him, she would always be the pain in the ass neighbour who couldn’t do anything right.’
This story followed the Mathewson formula with lovable characters, dislike turning to love and the Bradford family’s effortless banter all set in a magical snowy Christmas setting. For readers of this series it’s a great addition to a series we love!
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February 9, 2017
I might be done with this series. The books are getting repetitive and the jokes are no longer funny. This was painful to read. I really hoped that this book would be better than the previous one, but unfortunately it was worse.
Basic premise: SAME AS EVERY OTHER BOOK IN THIS SERIES.
Neither Duncan nor Necie was likable. Duncan was extremely rude, gruff and annoying. Necie was unbelievably naive and made idiotic decisions. Honestly, with the number of times that Necie injured herself and Duncan, it's a miracle that either of them is still alive.
The romance is ridiculous and extremely difficult to believe. The two of them fail to have a conversation that doesn't involve physical injury before they have sex for the first time. Even after they become intimate, there is no bonding period or any interactions that help the reader understand how Duncan falls in love with Necie. To make this book even more frustrating, half of their decisions don't make any sense!
The constant arguing, ridiculous accidents, rehashed plotlines, and repetitive scenes made this a painful read. I couldn't wait for the book to end and had to take multiple breaks to get through it. The only reason this got 2 stars was because I genuinely loved the earlier books in this series (so I have a hard time giving these books really low ratings) and because the relationship between Necie and her grandfather was pretty cute.
Basic premise: SAME AS EVERY OTHER BOOK IN THIS SERIES.
Neither Duncan nor Necie was likable. Duncan was extremely rude, gruff and annoying. Necie was unbelievably naive and made idiotic decisions. Honestly, with the number of times that Necie injured herself and Duncan, it's a miracle that either of them is still alive.
The romance is ridiculous and extremely difficult to believe. The two of them fail to have a conversation that doesn't involve physical injury before they have sex for the first time. Even after they become intimate, there is no bonding period or any interactions that help the reader understand how Duncan falls in love with Necie. To make this book even more frustrating, half of their decisions don't make any sense!
The constant arguing, ridiculous accidents, rehashed plotlines, and repetitive scenes made this a painful read. I couldn't wait for the book to end and had to take multiple breaks to get through it. The only reason this got 2 stars was because I genuinely loved the earlier books in this series (so I have a hard time giving these books really low ratings) and because the relationship between Necie and her grandfather was pretty cute.
May 28, 2017
After finding the last instalment in this series to be a bit disappointing, I was thrilled with Christmas From Hell. This book had all of the usual R. L. Mathewson qualities I love in a book.. an asshole Bradford, a quirky heroine, lots of humour and lots of hot sex.
Duncan was a mostly typical Bradford. He had over-the-top self confidence and he loved his food. But Duncan seemed a little lost and didn’t really know what or who he wanted out of life. Enter his match in the form of a next door neighbour who guaranteed severe bodily harm whenever she came near.
Necie was awesome. Raised by her ex-military grandfather, she moved back home to take care of him and work alongside him in his bakery. It was amazing to most around her that she hadn’t done more serious harm to herself given how clumsy she was. Particularly whenever she found herself around Duncan who she also happened to be in love with. Too bad Duncan hated her guts.
In true Bradford style, Duncan faught his attraction Necie, but fate, in the form of several accidental mishaps and a big storm had other plans for him.
Loved everything about this story, especially the way Necie’s grandfather messed with her.
Such a great read!!!
Duncan was a mostly typical Bradford. He had over-the-top self confidence and he loved his food. But Duncan seemed a little lost and didn’t really know what or who he wanted out of life. Enter his match in the form of a next door neighbour who guaranteed severe bodily harm whenever she came near.
“Mr. Dixon’s eyes narrowed on him ever so slightly that he almost missed it, but after a long pause in which Duncan’s life flashed before his eyes, and God had he lived a boring fucking life, Mr. Duncan placed the gun on the kitchen table, stood up and with a nod, headed towards the back door where he stood waiting, letting Duncan know that it was time to leave.”
Necie was awesome. Raised by her ex-military grandfather, she moved back home to take care of him and work alongside him in his bakery. It was amazing to most around her that she hadn’t done more serious harm to herself given how clumsy she was. Particularly whenever she found herself around Duncan who she also happened to be in love with. Too bad Duncan hated her guts.
In true Bradford style, Duncan faught his attraction Necie, but fate, in the form of several accidental mishaps and a big storm had other plans for him.
“Either she was twelve again and her grandfather was trying to teach her a lesson on what could happen if she answered the door unprepared or she’d been kidnapped by someone who really liked food.”
Loved everything about this story, especially the way Necie’s grandfather messed with her.
“Oh, my God, please stop,” Necie said, rubbing her temples with her fingertips as she tried to block out what her grandfather was saying and go to her happy place, but there would be no escape.
Not today.
“You want to make sure that the banana,” her grandfather said, holding up the banana in question, “is firm before you roll the condom down it, careful to avoid tearing the sensitive material.”
Such a great read!!!
January 2, 2016
Duncan Bradford thought his luck couldn't get any worse, but then Necie moved in next door to him and he realized how wrong he was. She's the biggest klutz he's ever known and somehow he's always getting hurt as a result of her clumsiness. But when he's forced to spend some time with her he realizes that she may not be as bad as he originally thought.
Whenever I pick up a R.L Matthewson book, I know to expect an over the top, funny story that will keep me laughing the whole time. I've loved this series from the beginning and the Bradford's are still somehow able to shock me with their antics. Duncan was different than the rest of his crazy family and it was interesting to see a Bradford that wasn't constantly thinking about food.
I can't say that this has been my favorite book from the NFH series but I still enjoyed it. I loved getting glimpses of the other Bradford's, and for the most part Duncan was a good character. I had some issues with Necie, though, and she added some annoyance to the book. She was a really clumsy person and was constantly falling or calling disaster but after the first few times of her slipping on ice, I was ready to kill her. By what seemed like the thousandth time of her slipping, it just wasn't funny anymore.
Overall, this was a very funny book that I think many will enjoy. Yes, the story was way over the top, but as usually with the Bradford men, it worked and added to the story, making it amazingly funny. Even with Necie being a bit annoying, the story was still highly enjoyable. If you haven't read this series yet, you're crazy!
Whenever I pick up a R.L Matthewson book, I know to expect an over the top, funny story that will keep me laughing the whole time. I've loved this series from the beginning and the Bradford's are still somehow able to shock me with their antics. Duncan was different than the rest of his crazy family and it was interesting to see a Bradford that wasn't constantly thinking about food.
I can't say that this has been my favorite book from the NFH series but I still enjoyed it. I loved getting glimpses of the other Bradford's, and for the most part Duncan was a good character. I had some issues with Necie, though, and she added some annoyance to the book. She was a really clumsy person and was constantly falling or calling disaster but after the first few times of her slipping on ice, I was ready to kill her. By what seemed like the thousandth time of her slipping, it just wasn't funny anymore.
Overall, this was a very funny book that I think many will enjoy. Yes, the story was way over the top, but as usually with the Bradford men, it worked and added to the story, making it amazingly funny. Even with Necie being a bit annoying, the story was still highly enjoyable. If you haven't read this series yet, you're crazy!
January 2, 2016
3.5 stars
You always know what you're getting with The Neighbor from Hell series, I quite like that. We got a lil bit of hot sex, the asshole-but-lovely hero, the crazy heroine, the humourous side characters & a bunch of ridiculousness.
This one fell a little short compared to my favourites in the series. There was a lot, a lot of inner-monologue. Some unfunny but supposed to be funny moments, as well as a lot of grammatical errors. It was also one of those books where you wish the heroine was a bit less of a sap, and the hero was a bit less of an ass.
It kept me interested, and there were some good scenes nonetheless.
You always know what you're getting with The Neighbor from Hell series, I quite like that. We got a lil bit of hot sex, the asshole-but-lovely hero, the crazy heroine, the humourous side characters & a bunch of ridiculousness.
This one fell a little short compared to my favourites in the series. There was a lot, a lot of inner-monologue. Some unfunny but supposed to be funny moments, as well as a lot of grammatical errors. It was also one of those books where you wish the heroine was a bit less of a sap, and the hero was a bit less of an ass.
It kept me interested, and there were some good scenes nonetheless.
December 30, 2015
DNF @ 82%.
This book was too OTT and silly. Shows for kids have something crazy happening every few minutes bc they can't sustain their attention for too long. This book unfortunately was just like that. At first the mishaps were cute and funny but they got old REAL fast. The h came off as a complete idiot. She was a virgin and the H didn't know so during the first sex scene she lets him do whatever he wants. Of course, she gets caught up in the moment and uses the "L" word which freaks out the H. Then she hates him but does an about face which left me confused. Hated the characters and the story. This was not written for adults.
This book was too OTT and silly. Shows for kids have something crazy happening every few minutes bc they can't sustain their attention for too long. This book unfortunately was just like that. At first the mishaps were cute and funny but they got old REAL fast. The h came off as a complete idiot. She was a virgin and the H didn't know so during the first sex scene she lets him do whatever he wants. Of course, she gets caught up in the moment and uses the "L" word which freaks out the H. Then she hates him but does an about face which left me confused. Hated the characters and the story. This was not written for adults.
December 24, 2015
Guys, you should really give this a chance!!!
It's so good, so funny and I couldn't stop reading!!!
I think it's one of the best in the series!
PS: Grandpa for the win!
It's so good, so funny and I couldn't stop reading!!!
I think it's one of the best in the series!
PS: Grandpa for the win!
January 2, 2016
3.25 Stars
Review to come..
Review to come..
December 30, 2015
3.75 stars. As usual, this was a humorous reading with many hot scenes. This book was different from previous books because H and h were not enemies, yes, H did hate h at first because she was a disaster-maker(just imagine her apron burned twice in this book lol ), but h didn't hate him at all.
One thing I liked about this book was finally a Bradford didn't think of food all the time. It was hilarious to read how ridiculous the Bradfords were about food, but when almost every H in this series had the same reaction of food, I got bored. So it was refreshing to read a Bradford H in this series could resist food. Although he was a jerk at first, so as all Hs in the previous books.
h's grandfather was funny sometimes, but his "talk" with h was awkward, and weird, come on, she was a grown-up already.
I anticipated to read the next book because the glimpse was promising, and I already figured out their relationship. Really wanted to know whether I was right.
One thing I liked about this book was finally a Bradford didn't think of food all the time. It was hilarious to read how ridiculous the Bradfords were about food, but when almost every H in this series had the same reaction of food, I got bored. So it was refreshing to read a Bradford H in this series could resist food. Although he was a jerk at first, so as all Hs in the previous books.
h's grandfather was funny sometimes, but his "talk" with h was awkward, and weird, come on, she was a grown-up already.
I anticipated to read the next book because the glimpse was promising, and I already figured out their relationship. Really wanted to know whether I was right.
December 24, 2015
5 Little Jinx Stars
Another awesome read from this author and perfect for the holidays :).
Duncan is beyond annoyed by his next door neighbor, Necie cause she is a walking disaster lol. For a year and half Duncan has been avoiding Necie cause every time he is near her, he would be hurt. Necie likes to think that she is a walking klutz lol. I love their bantering with a hint of Dom-sub going on. I can't wait for the next book. Made the mistake of reading the teaser chapter lol.
Another awesome read from this author and perfect for the holidays :).
Duncan is beyond annoyed by his next door neighbor, Necie cause she is a walking disaster lol. For a year and half Duncan has been avoiding Necie cause every time he is near her, he would be hurt. Necie likes to think that she is a walking klutz lol. I love their bantering with a hint of Dom-sub going on. I can't wait for the next book. Made the mistake of reading the teaser chapter lol.
September 3, 2016
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Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Necie): 28yrs old
Hero (Duncan): 30’s?
Plot: 5/5
Grovel: yes
Cheating: none
HEA: yes with baby!
Triggers: none
Average score: 5/5
Best Line: “because if there was one thing that he was sure about, it was that he was not the type of asshole to treat a woman like shit on accident and not man up and make it up to her.”
Worst Line: "It would probably make his life so much easier if she was fucking him over because she was a bitch, but sadly she was just pathetic."
Personal Review:
Another great food-loving Bradford love story!
Random Ramblings
•Aww, his grumpiness was sweet!
•Grandfather + banana + condom =
•Who names their kid Lucifer?
•I love a grumpy hero with a heart of gold
•The h was great too…she didn’t take any shit from him and was definitely no pushover!
Overall Feeling:
Love the Bradford men so much!
Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Necie): 28yrs old
Hero (Duncan): 30’s?
Plot: 5/5
Grovel: yes
Cheating: none
HEA: yes with baby!
Triggers: none
Average score: 5/5
Best Line: “because if there was one thing that he was sure about, it was that he was not the type of asshole to treat a woman like shit on accident and not man up and make it up to her.”
Worst Line: "It would probably make his life so much easier if she was fucking him over because she was a bitch, but sadly she was just pathetic."
Personal Review:
Another great food-loving Bradford love story!
Random Ramblings
•Aww, his grumpiness was sweet!
•Grandfather + banana + condom =
•Who names their kid Lucifer?
•I love a grumpy hero with a heart of gold
•The h was great too…she didn’t take any shit from him and was definitely no pushover!
Overall Feeling:
Love the Bradford men so much!
January 2, 2016
I used to love this series. Yea it was silly & could be repetitive but the heroes were always redeemable. Duncan is disgusting & vile. I never understood why he hated her so much, yes she was way over the top clumsy & ridiculous but why would you hate someone for that. The heroine has no like able qualities either. How can you fall in love with someone that you admit doesn't give two craps about you, nor wants to be anywhere in your presence. And the first love scenes was so beyond unbelievable it is ridiculous. No virgin is going to be able to get through intercourse the first time that way & rough without breaking down in tears much less ready to go again with multiple orgasms & letting ILY fly cause you're so high on happiness. Yuck!!! That shows you the type of man you're in love with & his reaction is expected. The heroine is a pathetic doormat & the hero I really don't believe is a true Bradford. Even jackass Travis would never treat his little neighbor that way. Think I'm finally done with this series, the last few have just seemed thrown together & a huge letdown. Sad because this was one of my go tos when in a reading slump : (
December 8, 2021
read 12/8/21: perfect for a holiday reread!
read 12/31/20
read 1/13/19
original read 12/26/16
read 12/31/20
read 1/13/19
original read 12/26/16
August 26, 2022
How did I miss that the next Neighbor from Hell book was coming out? I am a bad fan, I think (although I had a good Christmas) that my Christmas would have been much improved if I had this to snuggle up with. The Bradfords are the perfect entertainment on a cold Christmas night and I was pleased to be meeting Duncan Bradford and read about him helplessly fall in love with the extremely clumsy, jinxed woman next door.
As with all of Mathewson's Neighbor from Hell books, this was really funny, seeing the scraps that the couples get themselves into never fails to amuse me. It doesn't matter too much to me that these books now follow a very familiar patter, in some ways, it's comforting to know exactly what I am letting myself into when I open the book; there will be laughter; there will be some sexy times; their will be a food related incident that has me giggling and there will be a sexy, arrogant and adorable Bradford male to keep me entertained. It could be much much worse.
Duncan, although not my favourite Bradford, that honour belongs to Trevor, was a great hero, he started off the book avoiding our heroine in a very valid attempt to save himself from harm, after all every time he has encountered the jink next door he has come away with a serious injury. However, circumstances definitely wouldn't let things stay that way, so after being forced to spend some time together things start to change and we watch as another Bradford falls and falls hard.
This was a great addition to the series and I CANNOT WAIT for the next book. And I am not overstating that, I stupidly read the excerpt for the next book in the series and now I am dying to get my greedy mitts all over it.
As with all of Mathewson's Neighbor from Hell books, this was really funny, seeing the scraps that the couples get themselves into never fails to amuse me. It doesn't matter too much to me that these books now follow a very familiar patter, in some ways, it's comforting to know exactly what I am letting myself into when I open the book; there will be laughter; there will be some sexy times; their will be a food related incident that has me giggling and there will be a sexy, arrogant and adorable Bradford male to keep me entertained. It could be much much worse.
Duncan, although not my favourite Bradford, that honour belongs to Trevor, was a great hero, he started off the book avoiding our heroine in a very valid attempt to save himself from harm, after all every time he has encountered the jink next door he has come away with a serious injury. However, circumstances definitely wouldn't let things stay that way, so after being forced to spend some time together things start to change and we watch as another Bradford falls and falls hard.
This was a great addition to the series and I CANNOT WAIT for the next book. And I am not overstating that, I stupidly read the excerpt for the next book in the series and now I am dying to get my greedy mitts all over it.
January 4, 2016
I pre-ordered it but tbh I'm probably going to end up returning it . This authors books are getting repetitive and predictable . Her h and h are all the same just have different names, the only two books that the heroines were different are truce and checkmate . Why can't authors be more creative ? I mean we're paying to read the literature you creat !
Update:
I've lost count of how many times the word little has appeared and been used to describe a woman in this book and I'm only 27% in . No creativity
31% in and apparently this author thinks physical abuse is completely normal , okay, and some how fits in a romance book .
48% the word small has now replaced the word little in a few sentences
So done with this author, as predicted I've already returned this book and it just came out today
Update:
I've lost count of how many times the word little has appeared and been used to describe a woman in this book and I'm only 27% in . No creativity
31% in and apparently this author thinks physical abuse is completely normal , okay, and some how fits in a romance book .
48% the word small has now replaced the word little in a few sentences
So done with this author, as predicted I've already returned this book and it just came out today
Read
December 31, 2015Maybe I'll go back to this but for now DNF.
July 2, 2020
Meh. I'm getting tired of this love and hate-thy-neighbor plot. Though this one was a tad different. Well for one, Duncan was not banned from any restaurants on the tri-state area. Necie (a weird name) have been silently drooling over her ambulance guy neighbor for about a year. So much as a glance from him and her knickers instantly melts - if that is even possible.
Overall, two-star. Writing was good. Funny but the banter were redundant IMO.
Overall, two-star. Writing was good. Funny but the banter were redundant IMO.
August 29, 2016
Not bad but not the best.
I found that there was too much inner-monologue, that had me skimming.
I also would have liked if the hero found out a bit earlier on that he loved the heroine, it was almost left to the very end.
My favorite parts were with heroine and her grandpa.
I found that there was too much inner-monologue, that had me skimming.
I also would have liked if the hero found out a bit earlier on that he loved the heroine, it was almost left to the very end.
My favorite parts were with heroine and her grandpa.
August 7, 2017
If there is one thing I can count on, it's the fact that a Bradford novel has the power to pull me out of the doldrums! This novel was no exception, and I almost woke my sleeping son several times from laughing out loud so much! Duncan was a somewhat typical Bradford hero, and Necie was just perfect for him! I loved Mr. Dixon, as he was a much beloved foil to Necie. The story followed the tried and true formula that all Bradford novels do, but I loved the fact that this one was set at the holidays! It was interesting to see how they planned on celebrating! I can't wait to read the next book!
July 12, 2016
Hot saviour-from-hell-heaven neighbour? Gimme Gimme. XD
I imagine any normal Bradford to be this way. ginormous amount of food and the most purr-fect body. Sigh.
Such a funny read. The heroine is the most dangerously clumsy person ever. She can unwittingly cause car crashes, electric supply failure amongst her daily butter-finger moments here and there. Honestly I was worried about her. When you have a life like that, how do you survive alone? It seriously hampers your independence because someone needs to constantly stay near to keep your from harm.
But we know that the hero can’t stay immune to the hot and clumsy lady charms for too long. The fact that he belongs to the same Bradford family where men grumble at first but cannot stay away from their lady loves for too long, I am content.
R L Mathewson’s books have heroes that hug and cuddle their heroines randomly. Admittedly it can probably get annoying (too much touchy-feely is just irritating you know?), but it is a nice move. It’s incredibly sweet at times and makes the reader root even more for the couple.
Also, poor heroine! Her adorable grandfather leaves no chance to explain her the the working of the "birds and the bees" in the most awkward and weird ways.
Have to say, the grandfather was an amazing secondary character.
I imagine any normal Bradford to be this way. ginormous amount of food and the most purr-fect body. Sigh.
Such a funny read. The heroine is the most dangerously clumsy person ever. She can unwittingly cause car crashes, electric supply failure amongst her daily butter-finger moments here and there. Honestly I was worried about her. When you have a life like that, how do you survive alone? It seriously hampers your independence because someone needs to constantly stay near to keep your from harm.
But we know that the hero can’t stay immune to the hot and clumsy lady charms for too long. The fact that he belongs to the same Bradford family where men grumble at first but cannot stay away from their lady loves for too long, I am content.
R L Mathewson’s books have heroes that hug and cuddle their heroines randomly. Admittedly it can probably get annoying (too much touchy-feely is just irritating you know?), but it is a nice move. It’s incredibly sweet at times and makes the reader root even more for the couple.
Also, poor heroine! Her adorable grandfather leaves no chance to explain her the the working of the "birds and the bees" in the most awkward and weird ways.
Have to say, the grandfather was an amazing secondary character.
December 30, 2019
I felt like reading a Christmas story and this one first came to mind.
Oh I have forgotten how entertaining Duncan and his little Jinx have been. I've read this one before, but I laughed so hard.
At some points I couldn't help but compare Duncan with Scrooge. He had started to become cynical and an overall killjoy, all it took was Necie being her usual clumsy self and Duncan was brought to his knee. Ok If you've read this one, you know that she literally did that. Oh and how entertaining this has been.
The only downside was Necie's cooking paired with R.L's writing. All these sweets and cupcakes... I'm only human!!!!
January 6, 2016
This book started out good. But the jokes got over the top and way too repetitive and the story turned cheesy.
December 20, 2021
this book is just so confusing!
also, i was tired of how klutzy the heroine is
also, i was tired of how klutzy the heroine is
January 1, 2016
MIGHT HAVE SMALL SPOILERS! Okay so I haven't reviewed a novel in awhile so sorry if I might be rambling. This book was such a fun and easy read with some sexy moments and some moment where you just want to hit your head against the wall for the poor heroine. Especially with all the accidents Necie had. I always loved this author’s novel. I mean her Neighbor from hell series always makes me laugh. I thought this book was good but for me it could have been better. The moment I hear that there’s going to be a Christmas novel in the Neighbors from hell series and I tell you I was extremely excited. I love the Bradford’s with all my heart and they can such big babies. :P AND wow their obsession with food can be a bit scary and I’m still trying to figure out how can a person get banned from a restaurant? All I thought about is how does she survive in the winter with all that ice?
Anyway this book is all about Duncan Bradford and Necie Dixon. Duncan moved in with his brother Danny and Jodi after the big accident that Danny had because he wanted to help out as Jodi was pregnant. Those two needed as much help as they could get so while Duncan still had a full time job as a firefighter and such he still helped with everything else in his brother’s life. Necie on the other hand became Duncan, Jodi and Danny’s neighbor when she moved back into her grandfather’s house all the way from Boston. She wanted and needed a new start so she went to live with her grandpa and she went to work in his bakery. The first thing you notice when you read this book is that Necie is extremely clumsy and dangerous, I mean I do not understand how she did not kill herself yet with all that accidents. I mean the first time she met Duncan was when she accidently slammed the snow shovel on Duncan and then off course would he take the brunt of the fall when she fell trying to help her. I did not like the jumping to different days like that, it could have flowed better. I also would have liked to see what all Necie did to Duncan the first times they met. Necie can be real dangerous and like I said I wanted to read more about all those accidents she kept inflicting on Duncan like how she hit him with her car and how the heck did Necie get it right to throw 5 gallons of paint on him while getting a nail through his foot and burning his eyebrows just by repainting her house. I would LOVED to read how she got that right. Now every time i read a book with Bradford men, let me tell you they just make me swoon.
Now Necie liked Duncan the moment she met him but sadly with all the accidents she kept inflicting on Duncan made him hate her. He did try everything to stay away from her but somehow she still got it right to hurt him in a lot of ways. One day something happened, once again another accident when their relationship status started shifting. Duncan started to notice her in a different light and that is what she needed. He figured out how much she means to him after a kidnapping :D her grandfather helped him but he was still very bad at it! Anyway I loved Necie’s grandfather and how he tried to sneak something sweet to eat but sadly he always got found out by Necie. I also loved how he kept threatening Duncan with his guns. The other thing that had me laughing hysterically was when he explained to Necie all about sex and demonstrating on how to put a condom on a banana. All these men in this book are classic and I could not tell you how much I needed to laugh.
So basically this was a good book but just missed the mark for me a bit. The books that I still love the most in this series would be Playing for Keeps and Perfection. This book was not so much about the Christmas but still a fun and easy holiday read that I would reread sometime again. I still want to know how Necie survived all those years being so accident prone and how in the world does Duncan survive around her.
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG:
Anyway this book is all about Duncan Bradford and Necie Dixon. Duncan moved in with his brother Danny and Jodi after the big accident that Danny had because he wanted to help out as Jodi was pregnant. Those two needed as much help as they could get so while Duncan still had a full time job as a firefighter and such he still helped with everything else in his brother’s life. Necie on the other hand became Duncan, Jodi and Danny’s neighbor when she moved back into her grandfather’s house all the way from Boston. She wanted and needed a new start so she went to live with her grandpa and she went to work in his bakery. The first thing you notice when you read this book is that Necie is extremely clumsy and dangerous, I mean I do not understand how she did not kill herself yet with all that accidents. I mean the first time she met Duncan was when she accidently slammed the snow shovel on Duncan and then off course would he take the brunt of the fall when she fell trying to help her. I did not like the jumping to different days like that, it could have flowed better. I also would have liked to see what all Necie did to Duncan the first times they met. Necie can be real dangerous and like I said I wanted to read more about all those accidents she kept inflicting on Duncan like how she hit him with her car and how the heck did Necie get it right to throw 5 gallons of paint on him while getting a nail through his foot and burning his eyebrows just by repainting her house. I would LOVED to read how she got that right. Now every time i read a book with Bradford men, let me tell you they just make me swoon.
Now Necie liked Duncan the moment she met him but sadly with all the accidents she kept inflicting on Duncan made him hate her. He did try everything to stay away from her but somehow she still got it right to hurt him in a lot of ways. One day something happened, once again another accident when their relationship status started shifting. Duncan started to notice her in a different light and that is what she needed. He figured out how much she means to him after a kidnapping :D her grandfather helped him but he was still very bad at it! Anyway I loved Necie’s grandfather and how he tried to sneak something sweet to eat but sadly he always got found out by Necie. I also loved how he kept threatening Duncan with his guns. The other thing that had me laughing hysterically was when he explained to Necie all about sex and demonstrating on how to put a condom on a banana. All these men in this book are classic and I could not tell you how much I needed to laugh.
So basically this was a good book but just missed the mark for me a bit. The books that I still love the most in this series would be Playing for Keeps and Perfection. This book was not so much about the Christmas but still a fun and easy holiday read that I would reread sometime again. I still want to know how Necie survived all those years being so accident prone and how in the world does Duncan survive around her.
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG:
October 4, 2020
I've never been tempted to reread this one so i docked it another star.
.................
Duncan's the brother who can't say no when someone in his family needs help. But he can and will avoid the terrorizing jinx next door whenever possible.
Necie returned to her Grandfather's house after a disappointing career in the big city. She is the best baker in town and I couldn't help but wonder why there wasn't a pack of Bradfords beating down her door to court her for that reason alone!?!
But there isn't and even Duncan who lives next door, isn't interested, much to her dismay.
So the schtick in this one is not only the usual Bradford food disorder, but Necie's clumzy jinx disorder. Both were funny and if you are tired of the jokes, why read the books?
I still chuckled a lot reading/listening to this one.
The grandfather was a great addition to the cast of side characters!
Now about the romance... It's a simple story but I still found the logic difficult to follow. Duncan isn't out right mean to her but it's VERY obvious that he isn't interested for the first quarter of the story, and she knows it and tries to stay out of his way. Just mooning from afar... next door.
Anyways, you want him to open his eyes and smell the double fudge brownies. You want him to regret the last year and how he treated her like the plague.
But I can't say as he really makes up for that or apologizes in any meaningful way. He even makes it worse by his reaction to her first ILY. Almost as bad as saying the name of an OW during sex in my book. There's no come to jesus moment for him, (and while I'm griping, his paramedic skills were deplorable!)
I really didn't understand his reasoning behind the kidnapping... He wants his actions to speak louder than words? He wants to see if what's between them is the real thing? The first reason is stupid and the second is assholish.
And yet, I still liked him and his chemistry with Necie.
Necie was a doormat. Very sad. That's the other reason why I wondered about the kidnapping. There was no need as she would bend over backwards for him without him even needing to ask.
SOoo while I enjoyed this one, I didn't find it romantic much. meh. It was funny.
Eileen Stevens does a wonderful job reading. Good comedic timing ; )
Safety is good
.................
Duncan's the brother who can't say no when someone in his family needs help. But he can and will avoid the terrorizing jinx next door whenever possible.
Necie returned to her Grandfather's house after a disappointing career in the big city. She is the best baker in town and I couldn't help but wonder why there wasn't a pack of Bradfords beating down her door to court her for that reason alone!?!
But there isn't and even Duncan who lives next door, isn't interested, much to her dismay.
So the schtick in this one is not only the usual Bradford food disorder, but Necie's clumzy jinx disorder. Both were funny and if you are tired of the jokes, why read the books?
I still chuckled a lot reading/listening to this one.
The grandfather was a great addition to the cast of side characters!
Now about the romance... It's a simple story but I still found the logic difficult to follow. Duncan isn't out right mean to her but it's VERY obvious that he isn't interested for the first quarter of the story, and she knows it and tries to stay out of his way. Just mooning from afar... next door.
Anyways, you want him to open his eyes and smell the double fudge brownies. You want him to regret the last year and how he treated her like the plague.
But I can't say as he really makes up for that or apologizes in any meaningful way. He even makes it worse by his reaction to her first ILY. Almost as bad as saying the name of an OW during sex in my book. There's no come to jesus moment for him, (and while I'm griping, his paramedic skills were deplorable!)
I really didn't understand his reasoning behind the kidnapping... He wants his actions to speak louder than words? He wants to see if what's between them is the real thing? The first reason is stupid and the second is assholish.
And yet, I still liked him and his chemistry with Necie.
Necie was a doormat. Very sad. That's the other reason why I wondered about the kidnapping. There was no need as she would bend over backwards for him without him even needing to ask.
SOoo while I enjoyed this one, I didn't find it romantic much. meh. It was funny.
Eileen Stevens does a wonderful job reading. Good comedic timing ; )
Safety is good
February 16, 2020
#ReRead2020 : 16 Feb - 16 Feb :
4⭐️’s
Because Duncan. Because Necie.
Because accident prone jinxes who bake like prodigies.
Because Bradford’s. All of them.
And because ex-marine grandfathers who are in denial about heart attacks & borderline diabetes, but have a devious mind, a shotgun and a plan...are the shit.
==============================
#FirstRead2017 : 5th Feb - 5th Feb :
4 Stars!
I just love this series.
This is the story of the ever-helpful, always putting others first Bradford, Duncan & his klutzy, disaster magnet, bakery owning next door neighbour, Necie... who he can't stand.
Yup... it's on now! LOL.
These Bradford men are just so... well, everything! Sexy, alpha, dominant, funny, idiotic, egocentric, delusional, protective, fierce - I could go on for days.
It's pure entertainment reading this series, totally leave your worries behind you, unplug your brain & escape into their world & you can't help but love your time with them.
Sooo looking forward to starting Fire & Brimstone.
4⭐️’s
Because Duncan. Because Necie.
Because accident prone jinxes who bake like prodigies.
Because Bradford’s. All of them.
And because ex-marine grandfathers who are in denial about heart attacks & borderline diabetes, but have a devious mind, a shotgun and a plan...are the shit.
==============================
#FirstRead2017 : 5th Feb - 5th Feb :
4 Stars!
I just love this series.
This is the story of the ever-helpful, always putting others first Bradford, Duncan & his klutzy, disaster magnet, bakery owning next door neighbour, Necie... who he can't stand.
Yup... it's on now! LOL.
These Bradford men are just so... well, everything! Sexy, alpha, dominant, funny, idiotic, egocentric, delusional, protective, fierce - I could go on for days.
It's pure entertainment reading this series, totally leave your worries behind you, unplug your brain & escape into their world & you can't help but love your time with them.
Sooo looking forward to starting Fire & Brimstone.
January 4, 2016
The first 2 books in the Neighbor From Hell series are still to this day, 2 of my all-time favorites. The ones that followed were a bit disappointing to me. I have to say, this short Christmas read with the Bradford's did have me cracking up a few times. Was it realistic, no. I think the heroine was 28 and a virgin. The plot and storyline were quite similar to others in this series as well. I did love the grandfather and that the heroine was a klutz. I'm glad I read it and will check out more of this writers work in the future.
December 30, 2015
Underwhelming. :( Duncan was a bit of a douche for most of the book and I just felt bad for Necie. I've re-read most of the books in this series at least 5 times so I'm disappointed to say I don't have any desire to repeat this experience. I didn't laugh or even smile once. I know it's a schtick to have the Bradford guys be jerks but they usually redeem themselves. Right up to the end, Duncan was just frustrating and I honestly had no idea how Necie thought he was the "man of her dreams". Dude just glared at her and ignored her for the first part of the book.
January 10, 2016
I love the neighbors from hell series, but this one just fell flat for me. It seemed to be all over the place & didn't have any kind of flow to it, a shame really because all the other ones I really liked, this just seemed rushed. All the heartbreak she had over him taking her virginity & then breaking her heart after & she never once told him he was her 1st, I would have thought for sure that would have been a conversation to be had.
January 1, 2016
I'd forgotten how big an asshole RL was capable of writing...
And then there was Duncan.
In his defense, he didn't MEAN to screw up. It was more like he just couldn't help it. He is, after all, only a man.
And to his credit, he made up for said screw up. Spectacularly.
And then there was Duncan.
In his defense, he didn't MEAN to screw up. It was more like he just couldn't help it. He is, after all, only a man.
And to his credit, he made up for said screw up. Spectacularly.
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