Worst Neighbor Ever

Sworn to Loathe You #0.5

by Rachel John

Which one is the worst neighbor ever? It might be a toss up.

Melissa... Connor Harwood is a snoop, a bad neighbor, and a tree and grass killer. Oh, and probably a criminal. I can't forget that part. The fact that I find him to be the handsomest guy I’ve ever laid eyes on is completely irrelevant. I'll just have to keep a close watch while also ignoring his very existence. I can do both, right?

Connor... Melissa Cooke is way more than I can handle right now, and most likely stalker material. I have to remember that. I will not be taken in by the way she looks in her elephant-print pajama pants while holding her little excitable dog. I will not...go...over...there.

**This novella was previously part of the USA Today Bestselling rom com boxset: Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After**

Read the whole Sworn to Loathe You series
Worst Neighbor Ever - A Prequel
I Hated You First - Book 1
Carpool Crush - Book 2

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Rom Com, Clean Romance, Audiobook

100 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2021

About the author

Rachel John is the author of books filled with awkward humor and sigh-inducing romance. When not burning dinner or chasing kids, Rachel can be found working on family history, writing, reading, or putting off writing by staring at Facebook. She lives in Arizona with her husband, four crazy kids, and her desert tortoise.

Reviews

[Misha Ahuja · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved it. enemies to lovers literally

[Maven_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worst Neighbor Ever by Rachel John is a light, playful enemies to lovers romance novella about Melissa Cooke, who moves into a new neighborhood only to find her next door neighbor, Connor Harwood, is exactly the kind of irritating, snooping, grass killing guy she never wanted to meet, and yet his handsome presence and relentless proximity quickly complicate her judgement as they bicker and begin to see past their first impressions. It is a prequel to the Sworn to Loathe You series and sets up the dynamic between these two in a short, fun bite of romantic comedy that eventually leads to more heartfelt connections.

From the moment Melissa first sees Connor through a lens of comedic irritation, I was drawn into her perspective because of how vividly the writing captures that hilarious tension of loving to hate someone, only to find yourself warming to them despite yourself.

Melissa’s quirky interactions with her energetic dog and her endearing devotion to her neighbor’s grandmother gave the story a sweet, personal touch that had me smiling often, and Connor’s awkward charm and surprising depth beneath his “worst neighbor” persona made me root for them even as they teased and misjudged each other.

While the novella’s brevity means that some moments feel a little rushed, the chemistry between them crackled with warmth and levity, and the cozy small town backdrop made it feel like a perfect light summer read. I laughed out loud more than once at their banter, and the way their antagonism softened into affectionate friendship felt genuinely satisfying even in such a compact tale.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I adored the witty banter and endearing characters, and though I wanted more depth and breadth, this novella delivered a sweet start to Melissa and Connor’s story that left me feeling cheerful and curious to read the full series.

[Elisa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

a short enemis neighbors to lovers.
funny, short and sweet

[kels · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fun

[Wysteria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Very cute and swoony romance!

You are pulled into the story from the beginning and you don't want to stop until you have reached the end! This writer is very good so I'll have to read more of her books! The story was very well done and I loved the characters especially Granny! That probably sounds weird but it is true! :)

It felt a little too dramatic with her ex-fiance giving her Granny and the dogs and just not knowing if he'll be back to take it all away. Nothing bad happened but I was worried that something bad would happen. I was happy with the ending though I would have liked it to continue since Conner and Melissa were such a cute couple! The first time they kissed did seem sudden but it also seemed right. I would have liked to see them being friends instead of being told of their new found friendship. I believe if we did see it we would have been more prepared for the kiss. But it was such a swoony kiss! It is always good when a romance book brings out your inner fifteen year old girl! LOL

Content: kisses (very swoony kisses :D )

[Marilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my word! I laughed so hard I had to leave the room so I didn't wake up my husband. True story!

So much fun and swoony romance packed in a fun enemies-to-lovers sweet romance. The characters were fabulous and I enjoyed seeing some side characters who get their own story in Rachel's full-length book, I Hated You First. Loved this one and highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but a positive review was not required.

[Katri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get in to this. And then it ended so quickly. I wish it had been made in to a book instead of just a novella.

[Rissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

realistic enemies to lovers

Worst neighbor ever⭐️
“She was too tempting as all hot messes were”
“Melissa was going to be the death of me. I couldn’t imagine a day without her in it”
Rom com. Enemies to friends to lovers. It was a more realistic transition than most enemies to lovers.

[Destiny Sanderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it was a great pick me up

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flirty and cheesy. The whole story just felt rushed. Which it was, covering just 90 pages. But it packed a punch for such a tiny package. I didn’t realize when I started that it was so short, and only meant to be a prequel in which two of the side characters come into their own romance several years later in another of Rachel John’s books.

Also, are we just going to ignore the fact that the female MC’s best friend is sort of a stalker who can’t take no for an answer? I mean weird plot choice... among some other weird plot choices haha.

[AdriEdith · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 15%

I couldn’t get over the writing and characters. Felt very middle school so I wasn’t interested in continuing to read.

[Manali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel-good, funny, romance.

Read the full review here: https://wp.me/p6XQyB-3X5

My rating: 4.5/5
Melissa Cooke has just moved into a new house and hasn't interacted much with the neighbors yet. But when her mother decides to make them all a part of Melissa's surprise birthday bash, it doesn't lead to pleasantries, especially between Melissa and her next-door neighbor, Connor Harwood. He's handsome, he's a dentist, and that's where his good qualities end. The chemistry between them is palpable, despite him being all wrong, and her being engaged. Do they end up together, and if so, how?

[Vibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) - lighthearted with a dash of madcap

Melissa & Connor start off on the wrong feet (yes, plural, and add other people's feet, too 😉). So they're each thinking pretty poorly about the other. And you can totally understand why!

It's fun seeing how convoluted things get and then watching how it all gets untangled. The story is immediately engaging with a snappy pace - not super deep, but still gives you enough character development to provide you with that happy satisfaction at the end.

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this read! It is a prequel in her Sworn to Loathe series and I enjoyed so much learning more about Connor and Melissa’s story! Connor and Melissa were great characters- I loved how they started out trying to avoid each other to realizing that was the last thing they wanted to do! 💛😍 this is a closed door romance and a lighthearted enjoyable read! I would highly recommend adding it to your TBR list!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary e-copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

[Arceli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book. It was super fun and funny. The banter between Connor and Melissa was super cute. I love the chemistry and how Connor really was sweet. Also, he is a dentist and I wish they were more dentists in books. Additionally, the moments in the adorable relationship Melissa had with her family was super sweet. This book gives you all the fuzzies. Very fluffy and cute. I probably used cute too much. But awesome book.

[♡☆Fatima☆♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️I think enemies is a strong word to use in this story. it's more of a dislike to lovers. calling it enemies because the dude doesn't cut his grass or have a pretty front yard isn't the right fit of a word because, again, enemies can never do it justice in rom com....... that I've read so far. soooooo keep it to fantasy. overall, I did enjoy this story. not enough to get me out of a slump, but enough for my brain to clear away from fantasy for the time being. Will I continue on with this series? who knows🤷‍♀️ I don't have any desire to read them now, but it's not a complete pass

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I went in to this expecting little more than a light romance. I left with less than what I'd hoped.
The two main characters had no connection whatsoever, save for physical attraction, and even that was less than convincing. When the guy proposed at the end (I am not the one spoiling this read for you), I was genuinely wondering how anyone could consider this the next logical course of action. I didn't like the portrayal of the grandmother, suggesting old people aren't so bright and needed to be treated as children so that their feelings might be sparred. Ew. Such a waste of time.

[Jessica (readitandquip) H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short & sweet prequel! Next-door-neighbor-strife turned-insta-love

I loved Melissa's relationship with her 'fiance's' Granny. It was so heartwarming because sometimes we choose our family.

I could have stood for more fleshing out of Connor's character.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kookie

3.5 stars. A fun love/hate neighbor who is a bit crazy but totally lovable. This is a clean read with just a couple spots that left me confused.

[Paige]

DNF at 6%

Characters are too immature and petty for my tastes. I was speeding up the audio to get through it faster by the 5 minute mark, which is a clear sign I should jump ship early.

[Emma Pilipchuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are such fun short reads! I'm really enjoying this series so far, it's very light!

[nia · Rating 3 out of 5]

wish it wasn't a novella

[mumu · Rating 3 out of 5]

No logic for love...

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute novella, loved the plot, the characters and dual POV.
Could have been a bit longer for the last few chapters but overall great afternoon read.

[Rosh Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story romance 😍 100 pages of adventures, dogs, grass & romance.

This novella was just what I needed to read tonight 🙌 super cute cover. The two pov alternating chapters I adored.

Granny was such a lovely character and the adventures that Melissa put on for her were everything.

Only bit I didn't really enjoy was the fact that they made her best friend a psycho 😂

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this novella! It was short. I read it in a couple of hours. But it was so well written with the amount that was there. Honestly, I didn’t want it to end.

Melissa is such a great girl. I loved the way she took Granny out every week. Those parts just made my imagination run wild. And that party at the beginning where she met all of her neighbors. That made me laugh so hard.

Connor was a great guy too. Maybe he did watch Melissa through the window as she did all the hard moving in work, but he made up for that later as he worked hard on a project that was important to her.

This is such a cute book. You won’t regret reading it!

[Helena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much happens, one of those books to read super fast but you are not going to remember whats It is about later.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this novella when it was a part of the Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After collection and I enjoyed it then just as much as I enjoyed it the second time around. Connor and Melissa are adorable together. I love their chemistry and the sweet way they go from enemies to friends, to more than friends. The humor is cute and kept a smile on my face. I laughed at the spider and stuff with Granny; it was all so creative and positive.
This is a quick read, a fun novella connected to a fun romcom series.

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Arein Musa]

DNF @ 29%