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Secrets of Wildbrook #2
Her Grumpy Neighbor Until Halloween
He's famous, gorgeous, and furious.
When reclusive celebrity chef Kit Morton sees a woman breaking into his neighbor’s house he knows she’s either paparazzi or a stalker fan, and either way she’s going to f- off. Turquoise-haired Ellen insists she’s house-sitting, but Kit’s neighbor has disappeared, and Ellen has no clue what she’s doing with the menagerie. Kit has a cookbook to write, and ought to call the police or keep his distance. Instead, he wants to kiss her.
Mermaid hair, don’t care.
Life as an artist and social media influencer isn’t as glamorous - or lucrative - as Ellen Harris would like. Suddenly homeless, she lucks out with two months in a cute cottage by exaggerating her animal care experience a tiny bit. How difficult can it be? But when she turns up, there’s no instructions, no owner, the doors are wide open, and there’s a handsome angry man with a kitchen knife. Worse still, every time she makes an embarrassing mistake, he’s there.
When the heating goes kaput at Ellen’s borrowed house, Kit grudgingly invites her over for hot food, hot showers… and hot sex. They have to get it out of their systems quickly because he hates publicity and she’s desperate for fame. And Kit’s neighbor is due back at Halloween…
A scorching hot enemies to lovers, opposites attract, small-town British romance with heart, humor and banter.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Let’s get it out of our system
Next door neighbor
Grumpy / sunshine
Opposites attract
Read with confidence, Happily Ever After Guaranteed!
When reclusive celebrity chef Kit Morton sees a woman breaking into his neighbor’s house he knows she’s either paparazzi or a stalker fan, and either way she’s going to f- off. Turquoise-haired Ellen insists she’s house-sitting, but Kit’s neighbor has disappeared, and Ellen has no clue what she’s doing with the menagerie. Kit has a cookbook to write, and ought to call the police or keep his distance. Instead, he wants to kiss her.
Mermaid hair, don’t care.
Life as an artist and social media influencer isn’t as glamorous - or lucrative - as Ellen Harris would like. Suddenly homeless, she lucks out with two months in a cute cottage by exaggerating her animal care experience a tiny bit. How difficult can it be? But when she turns up, there’s no instructions, no owner, the doors are wide open, and there’s a handsome angry man with a kitchen knife. Worse still, every time she makes an embarrassing mistake, he’s there.
When the heating goes kaput at Ellen’s borrowed house, Kit grudgingly invites her over for hot food, hot showers… and hot sex. They have to get it out of their systems quickly because he hates publicity and she’s desperate for fame. And Kit’s neighbor is due back at Halloween…
A scorching hot enemies to lovers, opposites attract, small-town British romance with heart, humor and banter.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Let’s get it out of our system
Next door neighbor
Grumpy / sunshine
Opposites attract
Read with confidence, Happily Ever After Guaranteed!
326 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2022
974 people are currently reading
1862 people want to read
About the author
Eve Pendle
30 books164 followersEve lives in England and writes angsty, snarky and passionate Victorian era romance. She has National Trust membership, a prince-charming husband, and a crazy dog. She loves wearing dresses and eating chocolate.
You can get a free sexy historical romance story from Eve when you sign up for her new-releases email list at evependle.com
You can get a free sexy historical romance story from Eve when you sign up for her new-releases email list at evependle.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
October 29, 2025
3.5 stars
Always love a grumpy sunshine book.
Always love a grumpy sunshine book.
October 9, 2023
Eve Pendle, where have you been all this time? Once I started I couldn't stop reading.
I've been missing out HUGE and you are as well if you haven't read this author yet either. Do yourself a favor, treat yourself (if you can, it's on #KU), pick up this scorching, scrumptious romance.
I grabbed it myself after seeing a reviewer I trust describe it as "horny and a ton of fun".
It turns out she was 100% correct but the romance was also tender and angsty at times.
The hero, recluse celebrity chef Kit Morton is the grumpiest grump I've read in a romance. He's got the sharpest tongue and cutting tone there is which makes for banter delight when facing talented, dynamic cover artist/social media addict Ellen Harris, suddenly intruding his safe haven. Was it hate or lust at first sight or maybe a little bit of both? Honestly I'm not quite sure but the chemistry between them was freaking stiff.
I'd happily let myself be the recipient of Kit's verbal abuse only to eventually be at the receiving end of his love language : food. Ohmygod the food in this story is the best kind of foreplay, I loved how enticing the author made each and every kitchen scene.
As it turns out Kit's talents aren't all kitchen related and his mouth has other... qualities that were most assuredly not left unappreciated. He's got the dirtiest, inventive, assertive mouth on him. No quiproquo, no second guessing, he means what he says and says exactly what he wants.
He would send Ellen these text dinner invites, I swear : SO HOT 🔥.
-First, a text with dinner time.
-Then a second text with an earlier invite, the "apéritif" if you will, followed by the EXACT description of what is on the menu : how he'll eat her out, how he'll fuck her, how he'll finger bang her. I died multiple times. No lies.
Their relation starts as almost transactional and hate to love you but it slowly shifts to tender and real. Kit greatest pleasure is to spoil and take care of Ellen. The sweetest and hottest romance, really.
I'm not even mad at the third act break up partly because the author let us see it coming and mostly because it was served with A CHEF'S KISS GROVEL.
Bonus point for top of the line cooking metaphors and other food related words play. Perfection, 10/10 would definitely eat there again.
Extra bonus point for mention of great pancakes! We all know a romance lead that makes pancakes in the morning is worth keeping. #RomancePancakes
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
I've been missing out HUGE and you are as well if you haven't read this author yet either. Do yourself a favor, treat yourself (if you can, it's on #KU), pick up this scorching, scrumptious romance.
I grabbed it myself after seeing a reviewer I trust describe it as "horny and a ton of fun".
It turns out she was 100% correct but the romance was also tender and angsty at times.
The hero, recluse celebrity chef Kit Morton is the grumpiest grump I've read in a romance. He's got the sharpest tongue and cutting tone there is which makes for banter delight when facing talented, dynamic cover artist/social media addict Ellen Harris, suddenly intruding his safe haven. Was it hate or lust at first sight or maybe a little bit of both? Honestly I'm not quite sure but the chemistry between them was freaking stiff.
I'd happily let myself be the recipient of Kit's verbal abuse only to eventually be at the receiving end of his love language : food. Ohmygod the food in this story is the best kind of foreplay, I loved how enticing the author made each and every kitchen scene.
As it turns out Kit's talents aren't all kitchen related and his mouth has other... qualities that were most assuredly not left unappreciated. He's got the dirtiest, inventive, assertive mouth on him. No quiproquo, no second guessing, he means what he says and says exactly what he wants.
He would send Ellen these text dinner invites, I swear : SO HOT 🔥.
-First, a text with dinner time.
-Then a second text with an earlier invite, the "apéritif" if you will, followed by the EXACT description of what is on the menu : how he'll eat her out, how he'll fuck her, how he'll finger bang her. I died multiple times. No lies.
Their relation starts as almost transactional and hate to love you but it slowly shifts to tender and real. Kit greatest pleasure is to spoil and take care of Ellen. The sweetest and hottest romance, really.
I'm not even mad at the third act break up partly because the author let us see it coming and mostly because it was served with A CHEF'S KISS GROVEL.
Bonus point for top of the line cooking metaphors and other food related words play. Perfection, 10/10 would definitely eat there again.
Extra bonus point for mention of great pancakes! We all know a romance lead that makes pancakes in the morning is worth keeping. #RomancePancakes
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
October 27, 2023
Ok so this was way cuter and steamier than I expected. But if you're looking for a romance with Halloween vibes, maybe don't pick this one up. There are zero Halloween vibes. But my biggest gripe is that so many romance authors forget that essential wary alliance/friendship period in enemies to lovers love stories. The MCs in this book pretty much jump from enemies to sex buddies and I think that transition period was needed before the sexcapades (don't get me wrong I enjoyed the sexcapades but still.) I also wasn't a huge fan of how difficult it was for Ellen to respect Kit's boundaries when it came to social media and NO SPOILERS, the man has a legitimate reason as to why he's not a big fan of folks invading his space!
Overall, it was a funny-the banter was actually top tier- and steamy read, but I don't think I'll read the rest of the series since all the couples follow the enemies to lovers trope. I need a little variety.
Overall, it was a funny-the banter was actually top tier- and steamy read, but I don't think I'll read the rest of the series since all the couples follow the enemies to lovers trope. I need a little variety.
November 19, 2022
Actual rating 4.5 stars
hello this book that pleased me more than i could dare hope to dream. it was exceedingly horny, steamy, and a ton of fun. he LOVES to feed her then eat her out on his kitchen counter. he's also exceedingly grumpy and really really doesn't want to be on social media, despite being a famous chef (for good reasons).
i just love finding a romance read that i don't have expectations for yet still finding my expectations being exceeded in all the ways. I will definitely be reading more in this series. I loved the british countryside setting, how she was escaping from herself and watching a meddling old lesbian woman's farm and animals, and how he just took care of her despite himself.
so much fun. i need to re-read too, because it has been a minute and i've forgotten some details, but highly recommend, especially if you love Fall romance that isn't spooky (Halloween is barely there but enough for me to count it).
I will say I didn't love how the heroine did go against his explicit wishes to not be talked about online (she sells an article where she talks about him, draws him; even if she is masking his identity via art). it resolved well enough for me though.
Content notes, two white main character; stalking (in the past, off page - hero has lingering mental health and security issues due to this happening to him).
hello this book that pleased me more than i could dare hope to dream. it was exceedingly horny, steamy, and a ton of fun. he LOVES to feed her then eat her out on his kitchen counter. he's also exceedingly grumpy and really really doesn't want to be on social media, despite being a famous chef (for good reasons).
i just love finding a romance read that i don't have expectations for yet still finding my expectations being exceeded in all the ways. I will definitely be reading more in this series. I loved the british countryside setting, how she was escaping from herself and watching a meddling old lesbian woman's farm and animals, and how he just took care of her despite himself.
so much fun. i need to re-read too, because it has been a minute and i've forgotten some details, but highly recommend, especially if you love Fall romance that isn't spooky (Halloween is barely there but enough for me to count it).
I will say I didn't love how the heroine did go against his explicit wishes to not be talked about online (she sells an article where she talks about him, draws him; even if she is masking his identity via art). it resolved well enough for me though.
Content notes, two white main character; stalking (in the past, off page - hero has lingering mental health and security issues due to this happening to him).
November 26, 2023
super cute , grumpy sunshine neighbor, millionaire
Capitating and a different kind of fun, the story of the You tube Chef next door aka son of a famous Chef, who's neighbor has a new house sitter until Halloween. He is aspiring to put out a healthy good eats cookbook when he thinks someone's breaking into to his neighbor's house. Great banter & amazing read.
3.5 stars
Capitating and a different kind of fun, the story of the You tube Chef next door aka son of a famous Chef, who's neighbor has a new house sitter until Halloween. He is aspiring to put out a healthy good eats cookbook when he thinks someone's breaking into to his neighbor's house. Great banter & amazing read.
3.5 stars
October 9, 2023
DNF-25% the MMC is that Gordon Ramsey person. That isn't sexy and I cannot unsee it. The FMC is an influencer obsessed with her social media status and also kind of a self-righteous twit. And there are zero fall/Halloween vibes.
September 26, 2023
For me personally I could probably have used a bit more non-sex relationship development but the book was fun and hot and I will definitely pick this author up again in the future!
November 25, 2023
I did not, in fact, finish this by Halloween (like I was planning) lol
September 23, 2023
DNF at 20%. Just couldn’t get through the millennial cringe. And why does literally every single person introduced need their race described like the author wants brownie points for being (not really) diverse?
Also, the fact that Kit is obvi a knock off Gordon Ramsey is just funny lmao didn’t even get to the smut so can’t comment on that but I highly doubt it would have been worth it considering there is zero chemistry between these two.
Also, the fact that Kit is obvi a knock off Gordon Ramsey is just funny lmao didn’t even get to the smut so can’t comment on that but I highly doubt it would have been worth it considering there is zero chemistry between these two.
November 30, 2022
3.5 stars
Started this book after reading a review and the trope is my jam, hate to love, forced proximity, grumpy hero.
It took me a bit of time to get use to the author's writing, especially since i learned mostly american english so some vocabulary i wasn't familiar with ^^
The story itself was nice, i was intrigued by the characters but also baffled by the instant love connection, it didn't felt right. Still i liked the H.
I must say though the more the story continued the less i believed in them ...
Overall all goes well but, unfortunately i didn't liked it as much as i wanted. There's potential though, that's for sure !
Started this book after reading a review and the trope is my jam, hate to love, forced proximity, grumpy hero.
It took me a bit of time to get use to the author's writing, especially since i learned mostly american english so some vocabulary i wasn't familiar with ^^
The story itself was nice, i was intrigued by the characters but also baffled by the instant love connection, it didn't felt right. Still i liked the H.
I must say though the more the story continued the less i believed in them ...
Overall all goes well but, unfortunately i didn't liked it as much as i wanted. There's potential though, that's for sure !
November 5, 2023
The author promises a grumpy neighbour and boy, does she deliver!
If you like grumpy heroes, you will love this book. I know I did. Very grumpy and so good at messaging ☺️
3rd person POV, 🌶️🌶️🌶️ steam
Towards the end it felt a bit more rushed than what I would have liked but I can’t say I didn’t like way the MMC decided to act. In fact I loved it, I would just would have preferred some delay. Also, I found myself wanting to have learned some more things about Ellen’s past; I’m not sure we even learn how old our heroes are.
Overall, 4.5/5 🌟 and I’ll try more of her books.
If you like grumpy heroes, you will love this book. I know I did. Very grumpy and so good at messaging ☺️
3rd person POV, 🌶️🌶️🌶️ steam
Towards the end it felt a bit more rushed than what I would have liked but I can’t say I didn’t like way the MMC decided to act. In fact I loved it, I would just would have preferred some delay. Also, I found myself wanting to have learned some more things about Ellen’s past; I’m not sure we even learn how old our heroes are.
Overall, 4.5/5 🌟 and I’ll try more of her books.
October 23, 2023
Who doesn't love an open door enemies to lovers romance?
It starts slow, there is a lot more detail in the care of animals and the epic fails of Ellen than there needed to be but it's sweet. Kit comes to her rescue each and every time. Their banter is great and has them pretending to be enemies in the beginning but isn't that always the way in these stories...
Of course there is a misunderstanding that all works out by the end. Is it predictable? Yes did I still enjoy it? Also yes.
It starts slow, there is a lot more detail in the care of animals and the epic fails of Ellen than there needed to be but it's sweet. Kit comes to her rescue each and every time. Their banter is great and has them pretending to be enemies in the beginning but isn't that always the way in these stories...
Of course there is a misunderstanding that all works out by the end. Is it predictable? Yes did I still enjoy it? Also yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2023
Meine Erwartungen waren nicht besonders hoch weil ich das Buch kostenlos für Stuff your Kindle day runtergeladen habe.
Aber this did not disappoint.
Cozy und herbstlich. Und very good und viel spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ dafür bin ich natürlich zu haben 🙌🏻
Auch die ✨tension✨ zwischen den main characters - very good, enemies to lovers shenanigans 🤭✨
Aber this did not disappoint.
Cozy und herbstlich. Und very good und viel spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ dafür bin ich natürlich zu haben 🙌🏻
Auch die ✨tension✨ zwischen den main characters - very good, enemies to lovers shenanigans 🤭✨
October 15, 2022
3.5 Stars
October 9, 2023
So I started this book blindly then a few pages in was convinced it was Gordon Ramsey FanFiction, but it actually ended up being really good #yeschef
![Profile Image for Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1642113904i%2F116166019._UY200_CR2%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 11, 2023
3 ⭐️ Chef x Digital Artist Contemporary Romance.
This book felt like reading Gordon Ramsay Fan Fiction. And although I'm always in support of FFs, this was weird. I didn't really connect with either of the characters, and I their relationship progressed sort of unnaturally.
Not very Halloween-y either, which was what I was looking for. In general, it wasn't bad, but I'm not going to pick it up again for a reread or anything.
This book felt like reading Gordon Ramsay Fan Fiction. And although I'm always in support of FFs, this was weird. I didn't really connect with either of the characters, and I their relationship progressed sort of unnaturally.
Not very Halloween-y either, which was what I was looking for. In general, it wasn't bad, but I'm not going to pick it up again for a reread or anything.
October 14, 2023
I didn’t realize this was a series, I just thought it was a book revolving around Halloween…. Is it not but it was a good read
October 17, 2023
Super cute, quick read!
If you love grumpy/sunshine romance, this is the one for you 🤣 I had some minor issues with pacing and I really wish we’d seen the Halloween angle played up more, but otherwise this was a really fun, quick read.
If you love grumpy/sunshine romance, this is the one for you 🤣 I had some minor issues with pacing and I really wish we’d seen the Halloween angle played up more, but otherwise this was a really fun, quick read.
November 3, 2023
Never had a love hate relationship give me such whiplash and also the time line of the book confused me greatly but nevertheless who doesn’t enjoy a little grumpy sunshine?
did-not-finish
May 8, 2025Uuuhhhh DNF @77% this book has been haunting me for 2 weeks. I psyched myself out of finishing it because I convinced myself there would be a second 3rd act break up and refused to read it.
October 30, 2024
DNF - may pick up later to finish. About 60% through and not enough fall vibes for me right now.
July 27, 2025
Finished today, will write a review later
3.25 ⭐️
Good quick read. Just what I wanted. I enjoyed it, it was funny and spicy. Btw very extremely spicy hot 🌶️🤣.
Story worked well.
3.25 ⭐️
Good quick read. Just what I wanted. I enjoyed it, it was funny and spicy. Btw very extremely spicy hot 🌶️🤣.
Story worked well.
February 27, 2023
⭐️⭐️ 1/2 stars.
The storyline was interesting, but the characters were very immature. I belive this writer will improve with experience.
The storyline was interesting, but the characters were very immature. I belive this writer will improve with experience.
August 24, 2022
🐐Her Grumpy Neighbor until Halloween 🐓
an Enemies to Lovers British Billionaire romance
Secrets of Wildbrook Book 2
✒️ Eve Pendle
https://www.facebook.com/EvePendleAut...
Release Date 09/01/2022
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X89F19C/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
He's famous, gorgeous, and furious.
When reclusive celebrity chef Kit Morton sees a woman breaking into his neighbor’s house he knows she’s either paparazzi or a stalker fan, and either way she’s going to f- off. Turquoise-haired Ellen insists she’s house-sitting, but Kit’s neighbor has disappeared, and Ellen has no clue what she’s doing with the menagerie. Kit has a cookbook to write, and ought to call the police or keep his distance. Instead, he wants to kiss her.
Mermaid hair, don’t care.
Life as an artist and social media influencer isn’t as glamorous - or lucrative - as Ellen Harris would like. Suddenly homeless, she lucks out with two months in a cute cottage by exaggerating her animal care experience a tiny bit. How difficult can it be? But when she turns up, there’s no instructions, no owner, the doors are wide open, and there’s a handsome angry man with a kitchen knife. Worse still, every time she makes an embarrassing mistake, he’s there.
When the heating goes kaput at Ellen’s borrowed house, Kit grudgingly invites her over for hot food, hot showers… and hot sex. They have to get it out of their systems quickly because he hates publicity and she’s desperate for fame. And Kit’s neighbor is due back at Halloween…
A scorching hot enemies to lovers, opposites attract, small-town British romance with heart, humor and banter.
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will his fears and their insecurities tear them apart …
I alas didn’t not respond this book in the best condition as I was working and our home was under family’s representatives invasion.
Yet I loved this duet of wounded people.
They both are damaged at different levels, Kit with his lack of trust, seing everyone as an invader of his privacy, thus his inability to open himself and express his feelings and Ellen who trusts too much and has self worth issues, her loneliness leading her to put her belief in some less faithful hands.
Ellen is a lone soul, an oddity, she lives and breathes in part through social media, it fed her soul what she lacks in real life, a sentiment of belonging. And even if she has just been burned, she still needs to make a living and rebuilt herself.
Why she is a bit lost at first, trying to reconcile herself with her media image, all she has lost and where she wants to go.
With no home, depleted finances, this opportunity of a rent free home for two months and a few pets to feed is like a buoy in her bleak actuality.
If there were not this next door grumpy sexy man.
Kit retired from all media life to reconstruct himself, he did not cope well with the events that led him to run away.
Now he sees everyone unknown to him as an enemy. Well if only he could see his new temporary bewitching neighbor as it, it would be best. And while he keeps his surly mask in front of her, in his inner thoughts, she has already taken residence.
There relationship is one of many mishaps from her side, seductive meals from him and lot of romps between the sheets (or not).
And even if they do not share their feeling, him by fear of betrayal and she because she does not believes she is deserving, their fall for one another is fast and hard.
But can they overcome their differences when he shuns social media and she needs them.
Kit for all his faults is an amazing book boyfriend, he might struggle to express his feelings but he finds means to do it, and when he grovels, he does it splendidly with all the panache of a knight slaying the enemy.
4.5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChpJC4...
https://www.facebook.com/100048385306...
#bookstagram #smalltownromance #romance #romancebookblog #romancebookblogger #bookblog #romanceauthor #bookblogger #2022read #bookstagrammer #bookreview #romancebookreviewer #arcreader #bookquote #romancestagram #readersofinstagram
an Enemies to Lovers British Billionaire romance
Secrets of Wildbrook Book 2
✒️ Eve Pendle
https://www.facebook.com/EvePendleAut...
Release Date 09/01/2022
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X89F19C/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
He's famous, gorgeous, and furious.
When reclusive celebrity chef Kit Morton sees a woman breaking into his neighbor’s house he knows she’s either paparazzi or a stalker fan, and either way she’s going to f- off. Turquoise-haired Ellen insists she’s house-sitting, but Kit’s neighbor has disappeared, and Ellen has no clue what she’s doing with the menagerie. Kit has a cookbook to write, and ought to call the police or keep his distance. Instead, he wants to kiss her.
Mermaid hair, don’t care.
Life as an artist and social media influencer isn’t as glamorous - or lucrative - as Ellen Harris would like. Suddenly homeless, she lucks out with two months in a cute cottage by exaggerating her animal care experience a tiny bit. How difficult can it be? But when she turns up, there’s no instructions, no owner, the doors are wide open, and there’s a handsome angry man with a kitchen knife. Worse still, every time she makes an embarrassing mistake, he’s there.
When the heating goes kaput at Ellen’s borrowed house, Kit grudgingly invites her over for hot food, hot showers… and hot sex. They have to get it out of their systems quickly because he hates publicity and she’s desperate for fame. And Kit’s neighbor is due back at Halloween…
A scorching hot enemies to lovers, opposites attract, small-town British romance with heart, humor and banter.
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will his fears and their insecurities tear them apart …
I alas didn’t not respond this book in the best condition as I was working and our home was under family’s representatives invasion.
Yet I loved this duet of wounded people.
They both are damaged at different levels, Kit with his lack of trust, seing everyone as an invader of his privacy, thus his inability to open himself and express his feelings and Ellen who trusts too much and has self worth issues, her loneliness leading her to put her belief in some less faithful hands.
Ellen is a lone soul, an oddity, she lives and breathes in part through social media, it fed her soul what she lacks in real life, a sentiment of belonging. And even if she has just been burned, she still needs to make a living and rebuilt herself.
Why she is a bit lost at first, trying to reconcile herself with her media image, all she has lost and where she wants to go.
With no home, depleted finances, this opportunity of a rent free home for two months and a few pets to feed is like a buoy in her bleak actuality.
If there were not this next door grumpy sexy man.
Kit retired from all media life to reconstruct himself, he did not cope well with the events that led him to run away.
Now he sees everyone unknown to him as an enemy. Well if only he could see his new temporary bewitching neighbor as it, it would be best. And while he keeps his surly mask in front of her, in his inner thoughts, she has already taken residence.
There relationship is one of many mishaps from her side, seductive meals from him and lot of romps between the sheets (or not).
And even if they do not share their feeling, him by fear of betrayal and she because she does not believes she is deserving, their fall for one another is fast and hard.
But can they overcome their differences when he shuns social media and she needs them.
Kit for all his faults is an amazing book boyfriend, he might struggle to express his feelings but he finds means to do it, and when he grovels, he does it splendidly with all the panache of a knight slaying the enemy.
4.5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChpJC4...
https://www.facebook.com/100048385306...
#bookstagram #smalltownromance #romance #romancebookblog #romancebookblogger #bookblog #romanceauthor #bookblogger #2022read #bookstagrammer #bookreview #romancebookreviewer #arcreader #bookquote #romancestagram #readersofinstagram
October 23, 2023
3.75⭐️/ 3-4🌶️
Again, with a title mentioning something along the lines of, “Halloween”, I was curious to see what this story would be about. Plus, with these descriptions of the story involving an enemies to lovers British romance set within a small town, and both the main characters falling for each other, I got to say I wanted to give it a go in reading it.
Kit Morton liked being in the countryside, in a small town where he was able to escape the highly publicized life he led as a well known celebrity chef. Living in Wildbrook, seemed like the best place for Kit to focus on working on his next cookbook without any distractions and the media. Until, one day Kit found a suspicious yet also beautifully blue/ teal haired woman wandering around his neighbor’s home. Ellen wasn’t a random woman roaming around someone’s yard, she was in fact hired to take care of the animals and house sit, but Kit didn’t entirely believe her. Upon meeting one another, Ellen and Kit didn’t get along nor like each other very much… but that didn’t stop both Ellen and Kit from finding each other attractive!
As much as this story was set within a lovely small town, not everything was sweet and adorable… especially when tensions kept rising between Ellen and Kit. If you wanted an enemies to lovers romance but with more emphasis on backhanded insults, sarcasm, constant arguments, and the general dislike of one another… that was basically what happened between Ellen and Kit. Not to mention, with a grumpy/ sunshine dynamic also in play, Ellen and Kit were total opposites from one another which created a difference in how they viewed certain things. I actually liked seeing Ellen and Kit argue haha the insults and how they acted from one another was only the beginning to what would later on come to fruition in their mutual attraction to one another.
As the sexual tension grew between Ellen and Kit, the more they wanted each other, and finally…BOOM! It happened! A little heated moment in Kit’s kitchen, and the idea of “getting it out of our systems” was born! Since Ellen was only going to be in Wildbrook until, yup, you guessed it until Halloween, why not take advantage of all the fun, sexy time Ellen and Kit could be having together? Because, yeah that TOTALLY SOUNDS LIKE A LOGICAL IDEA mmmhhhmmm sure. It was kind of hot how Kit would text Ellen ahead of time to set their dinner plans, but also explicitly text in detail all the things he wanted to do to her!!!! OMG! Talk about sexy! The way Kit was a grumpy man, but also this sexy man of a beast who wanted more and more of Ellen each time they spent time together was great, and also revealed Kit falling for Ellen! Awww!
Overall, this was a cute and lighthearted story. Both, Kit and Ellen went through a bit of a rough patch from initially not liking each other to dealing with the fall out of Ellen basically losing everything to Kit trying to get back into a semblance of normalcy after dealing with his stalker years prior. Being opposites from one another, Kit was the grumpy chef, whereas Ellen was a sunshine artist, somehow those two just clicked, even with all the tension between them. I went into this book expecting a bit more of a Halloween spin (because of the title), but I actually liked that it wasn’t Halloween themed. The small town vibe was endearing and the more I read, the more I enjoyed seeing Ellen and Kit. I think my only complaint was that, I wish this story had been written in dual point of view, it would have been stronger in terms of getting inside Ellen and Kit’s thoughts. Plus, getting to see in their respective views, would have strengthened certain moments throughout the story from the romance to Ellen and Kit’s own personal troubles they dealt with. I think this was a cute, endearing romance, with the unexpected spice hitting a bit more than I expected even with the synopsis stating it haha. Kit and Ellen were good together, but I didn’t necessarily feel connected to them, nor did I feel a strong connection to the other characters. I liked the story, but I didn’t love it. There were some aspects I felt that could have been better such as, the dual point of views being included that would have made the story better.
Again, with a title mentioning something along the lines of, “Halloween”, I was curious to see what this story would be about. Plus, with these descriptions of the story involving an enemies to lovers British romance set within a small town, and both the main characters falling for each other, I got to say I wanted to give it a go in reading it.
Kit Morton liked being in the countryside, in a small town where he was able to escape the highly publicized life he led as a well known celebrity chef. Living in Wildbrook, seemed like the best place for Kit to focus on working on his next cookbook without any distractions and the media. Until, one day Kit found a suspicious yet also beautifully blue/ teal haired woman wandering around his neighbor’s home. Ellen wasn’t a random woman roaming around someone’s yard, she was in fact hired to take care of the animals and house sit, but Kit didn’t entirely believe her. Upon meeting one another, Ellen and Kit didn’t get along nor like each other very much… but that didn’t stop both Ellen and Kit from finding each other attractive!
As much as this story was set within a lovely small town, not everything was sweet and adorable… especially when tensions kept rising between Ellen and Kit. If you wanted an enemies to lovers romance but with more emphasis on backhanded insults, sarcasm, constant arguments, and the general dislike of one another… that was basically what happened between Ellen and Kit. Not to mention, with a grumpy/ sunshine dynamic also in play, Ellen and Kit were total opposites from one another which created a difference in how they viewed certain things. I actually liked seeing Ellen and Kit argue haha the insults and how they acted from one another was only the beginning to what would later on come to fruition in their mutual attraction to one another.
As the sexual tension grew between Ellen and Kit, the more they wanted each other, and finally…BOOM! It happened! A little heated moment in Kit’s kitchen, and the idea of “getting it out of our systems” was born! Since Ellen was only going to be in Wildbrook until, yup, you guessed it until Halloween, why not take advantage of all the fun, sexy time Ellen and Kit could be having together? Because, yeah that TOTALLY SOUNDS LIKE A LOGICAL IDEA mmmhhhmmm sure. It was kind of hot how Kit would text Ellen ahead of time to set their dinner plans, but also explicitly text in detail all the things he wanted to do to her!!!! OMG! Talk about sexy! The way Kit was a grumpy man, but also this sexy man of a beast who wanted more and more of Ellen each time they spent time together was great, and also revealed Kit falling for Ellen! Awww!
Overall, this was a cute and lighthearted story. Both, Kit and Ellen went through a bit of a rough patch from initially not liking each other to dealing with the fall out of Ellen basically losing everything to Kit trying to get back into a semblance of normalcy after dealing with his stalker years prior. Being opposites from one another, Kit was the grumpy chef, whereas Ellen was a sunshine artist, somehow those two just clicked, even with all the tension between them. I went into this book expecting a bit more of a Halloween spin (because of the title), but I actually liked that it wasn’t Halloween themed. The small town vibe was endearing and the more I read, the more I enjoyed seeing Ellen and Kit. I think my only complaint was that, I wish this story had been written in dual point of view, it would have been stronger in terms of getting inside Ellen and Kit’s thoughts. Plus, getting to see in their respective views, would have strengthened certain moments throughout the story from the romance to Ellen and Kit’s own personal troubles they dealt with. I think this was a cute, endearing romance, with the unexpected spice hitting a bit more than I expected even with the synopsis stating it haha. Kit and Ellen were good together, but I didn’t necessarily feel connected to them, nor did I feel a strong connection to the other characters. I liked the story, but I didn’t love it. There were some aspects I felt that could have been better such as, the dual point of views being included that would have made the story better.
September 2, 2022
3.5 stars
I enjoyed the first book I read in this series so when offered the second book I jumped at the chance to read and review and I did like Her Grumpy Neighbor Until Halloween, but it didn’t grab me like the first book. A reclusive famous chef doesn’t trust the woman who arrived to take care of his neighbor’s animals in her absence, one he claims he didn’t know about, and despite his suspicions about her, he’s enamored from day one. This grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract romance was an interesting read.
Down on her luck after defending her best friend and roommate and being thrown out because of it Ellen Harris accepts a job to house sit and take care of the owner’s animals in the small country town of Devon. She knows she’s out of her element and over her head from the moment she arrives where she finds the home’s back door open, the owner gone, and no instructions on how to care for the animals and then there is the knife wielding lunatic that comes after her.
The lunatic is her new next door neighbor and he believes she’s done something to the home’s elderly owner. Kit Morton doesn’t know who the woman with the crazy blue hair is but he does know is neighbor is gone and she is there and even though she has an email from Alice he doesn’t believe her, but there is also something about her that intrigues him.
An influencer on IMPhoto and a celebrity chef hiding out, what could go wrong? I enjoyed this book and even the characters including Kit who was a bit of an a$$ throughout, but since chefs usually are I figured it was normal behavior. My problem is that the first half was a bit slow and dull other than the few entertaining bits with Ellen and the animals. Then it heated up very quickly and to be honest I didn’t feel the attraction between them because all of their interactions before that had been strange and terse and though I was “told” they had dirty thought about each other, I didn’t feel it.
Kit had his reasons for not wanting his location outed or his picture taken and they were good ones and I did feel like Ellen didn’t take his feelings into account mainly because she thought he was overreacting or she felt he was mean and didn’t care. Kit had every reason to be angry with her even though he should have communicated better with her and tried to understand her situation. Kit’s actions at time seemed a bit over the top like having her sit in on a meeting with his financial team when they had not commitment to one another, who does that? He never once indicated he wanted something long term with her, it was just strange.
Overall, I liked this one I just didn’t love it. There were plenty of smoking hot s*xy times and some funny moments, but it lacked the depth I normally like to see in a romance.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
I enjoyed the first book I read in this series so when offered the second book I jumped at the chance to read and review and I did like Her Grumpy Neighbor Until Halloween, but it didn’t grab me like the first book. A reclusive famous chef doesn’t trust the woman who arrived to take care of his neighbor’s animals in her absence, one he claims he didn’t know about, and despite his suspicions about her, he’s enamored from day one. This grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract romance was an interesting read.
Down on her luck after defending her best friend and roommate and being thrown out because of it Ellen Harris accepts a job to house sit and take care of the owner’s animals in the small country town of Devon. She knows she’s out of her element and over her head from the moment she arrives where she finds the home’s back door open, the owner gone, and no instructions on how to care for the animals and then there is the knife wielding lunatic that comes after her.
The lunatic is her new next door neighbor and he believes she’s done something to the home’s elderly owner. Kit Morton doesn’t know who the woman with the crazy blue hair is but he does know is neighbor is gone and she is there and even though she has an email from Alice he doesn’t believe her, but there is also something about her that intrigues him.
An influencer on IMPhoto and a celebrity chef hiding out, what could go wrong? I enjoyed this book and even the characters including Kit who was a bit of an a$$ throughout, but since chefs usually are I figured it was normal behavior. My problem is that the first half was a bit slow and dull other than the few entertaining bits with Ellen and the animals. Then it heated up very quickly and to be honest I didn’t feel the attraction between them because all of their interactions before that had been strange and terse and though I was “told” they had dirty thought about each other, I didn’t feel it.
Kit had his reasons for not wanting his location outed or his picture taken and they were good ones and I did feel like Ellen didn’t take his feelings into account mainly because she thought he was overreacting or she felt he was mean and didn’t care. Kit had every reason to be angry with her even though he should have communicated better with her and tried to understand her situation. Kit’s actions at time seemed a bit over the top like having her sit in on a meeting with his financial team when they had not commitment to one another, who does that? He never once indicated he wanted something long term with her, it was just strange.
Overall, I liked this one I just didn’t love it. There were plenty of smoking hot s*xy times and some funny moments, but it lacked the depth I normally like to see in a romance.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 22, 2023
Her Grumpy Neighbor until Halloween
an Enemies to Lovers British Billionaire romance
Secrets of Wildbrook Book 2 standalone
Eve Pendle
Stars:🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Burn level:🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Time to read: 7 hours
HEA
My review may contain spoilers
Tropes:
Rom-com
Enemy to lover
Neighbors
Grumpy/sunshine
Opposites attract
Ellen Harris is a blue haired influencer with a sunshine attitude. Low on income and homeless, Ellen takes a job mistakenly thinking she would be house sitting and watching animals such as dogs or cats for two months. What she actually signed herself up for was watching farm animals which she had no clue about. What could possibly go wrong?… Apparently everything!
Kit Morton is a grumpy celebrity chef who is hiding away from prying eyes while he tries to write his latest cook book. Due to his past he does not easily trust nor does he like most social media. When a blue haired girl shows up on his neighbors property while she is nowhere in sight, Kit is understandably skeptical as to who the blue haired beauty is however he can’t seem to stay away from her.
However when these two finally get together (hot hate sex anyone??? YES PLEASE!) Kit turns into a major dirty talker…. And texter! Everything seems to be going great until Mr Grumpy sees a post published from Ellen and doesn’t bother to ask questions. Ugh poor Ellen. Thrown out on the streets again, Ellen is rightfully heartbroken. Can these two work out there problems?
Even though they are attracted to each other these two butt heads at every turn. The banter is hilarious, as is the situations Ellen gets herself in. Eventually they give in to their attraction and then the spice level is next level!
Sweet and funny, Her Grumpy Neighbor until Halloween is giving me MAJOR hallmark movie vibes! As I read I felt like I was reading a Hallmark Novel with added spice.
I received a copy in exchange for a voluntary honest review.
an Enemies to Lovers British Billionaire romance
Secrets of Wildbrook Book 2 standalone
Eve Pendle
Stars:🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Burn level:🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Time to read: 7 hours
HEA
My review may contain spoilers
Tropes:
Rom-com
Enemy to lover
Neighbors
Grumpy/sunshine
Opposites attract
Ellen Harris is a blue haired influencer with a sunshine attitude. Low on income and homeless, Ellen takes a job mistakenly thinking she would be house sitting and watching animals such as dogs or cats for two months. What she actually signed herself up for was watching farm animals which she had no clue about. What could possibly go wrong?… Apparently everything!
Kit Morton is a grumpy celebrity chef who is hiding away from prying eyes while he tries to write his latest cook book. Due to his past he does not easily trust nor does he like most social media. When a blue haired girl shows up on his neighbors property while she is nowhere in sight, Kit is understandably skeptical as to who the blue haired beauty is however he can’t seem to stay away from her.
However when these two finally get together (hot hate sex anyone??? YES PLEASE!) Kit turns into a major dirty talker…. And texter! Everything seems to be going great until Mr Grumpy sees a post published from Ellen and doesn’t bother to ask questions. Ugh poor Ellen. Thrown out on the streets again, Ellen is rightfully heartbroken. Can these two work out there problems?
Even though they are attracted to each other these two butt heads at every turn. The banter is hilarious, as is the situations Ellen gets herself in. Eventually they give in to their attraction and then the spice level is next level!
Sweet and funny, Her Grumpy Neighbor until Halloween is giving me MAJOR hallmark movie vibes! As I read I felt like I was reading a Hallmark Novel with added spice.
I received a copy in exchange for a voluntary honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2023
Threw off a little by the fact that this book has nothing to do with Halloween, despite the title. I was expecting a cute fall read with maybe some Halloween themes, but it mentions the impending date a couple times and then skips right over it. The book could have taken place in any season and nothing would have to change in the story. Sooooo if you're reading it for that, don't.
I wasn't a huge fan of the MMC for the majority of the book, and I wasn't even sold on their relationship until the end. This is a hard one because the MMC's behavior is later explained and it changes, but I just wish we had gotten more glimpses of how he truly felt for her by his actions before then instead of his internal dialogue. Bc until the end, he was doing his annoying red light green light sex stuff and it didn't accomplish the purpose he meant for it to.
Anyway, this book is one of few where the grovel was actually good. It doesn't go on forever (not that I would mind if it did, books never seem to have enough grovel), but the grand gesture made me cry so hard! It was so sweet and cute, and that, combined with the other two gestures, made my jaded little heart melt.
I liked the FMC, even if she had a few wtf moments. This is also a bit of an insta-love, as they both fall for each other immediately. I wouldn't classify it as an enemies to lovers. Overall, it's a cute story. The ending was very sweet and changed how I felt about it overall, so I'm really glad I finished it.
I wasn't a huge fan of the MMC for the majority of the book, and I wasn't even sold on their relationship until the end. This is a hard one because the MMC's behavior is later explained and it changes, but I just wish we had gotten more glimpses of how he truly felt for her by his actions before then instead of his internal dialogue. Bc until the end, he was doing his annoying red light green light sex stuff and it didn't accomplish the purpose he meant for it to.
Anyway, this book is one of few where the grovel was actually good. It doesn't go on forever (not that I would mind if it did, books never seem to have enough grovel), but the grand gesture made me cry so hard! It was so sweet and cute, and that, combined with the other two gestures, made my jaded little heart melt.
I liked the FMC, even if she had a few wtf moments. This is also a bit of an insta-love, as they both fall for each other immediately. I wouldn't classify it as an enemies to lovers. Overall, it's a cute story. The ending was very sweet and changed how I felt about it overall, so I'm really glad I finished it.
September 1, 2022
When reclusive celebrity chef Kit Morton sees a woman breaking into his neighbour’s house he knows she’s either paparazzi or a stalker fan. Turquoise-haired Ellen Harris insists she’s house-sitting, but Kit’s neighbour has disappeared, and Ellen has no clue what she’s doing with the menagerie. Kit has a cookbook to write and ought to call the police or keep his distance. Instead, he wants to kiss her. Life as a social media influencer isn’t as glamorous - or lucrative - as Ellen would like. Suddenly homeless, she lucks out with two months in a country cottage by exaggerating her animal care experience a tiny bit. When the heating goes kaput, Kit grudgingly invites her over for hot food, hot showers and hot sex.
This is the second book in the series but it’s easily read on its own. I really liked both Kit & Ellen who were like chalk & cheese, grumpy & sunshine. I loved the chemistry between the pair but trust was another thing altogether. A well written entertaining, fun, steamy read which once started I found hard to put down & finished it well into the night
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is the second book in the series but it’s easily read on its own. I really liked both Kit & Ellen who were like chalk & cheese, grumpy & sunshine. I loved the chemistry between the pair but trust was another thing altogether. A well written entertaining, fun, steamy read which once started I found hard to put down & finished it well into the night
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
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