Neighbor Dearest by Penelope Ward Review
4.5 Smooches
Synopsis
After getting dumped, the last thing I needed was to move next door to someone who reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, Elec.
Damien was a hotter version of my ex.
The neighbor I’d dubbed “Angry Artist” also had two massive dogs that kept me up with their barking.
He wanted nothing to do with me. Or so I thought until one night I heard laughter coming through an apparent hole in my bedroom wall.
Damien had been listening to all of my phone sessions with my therapist.
The sexy artist next door now knew all of my deepest secrets and insecurities.
We got to talking.
He set me straight with tips to get over my breakup.
He became a good friend, but Damien made it clear that he couldn’t be anything more.
Problem was, I was falling hard for him anyway. And as much as he pushed me away, I knew he felt the same…because his heartbeat didn’t lie.
I thought my heart had been broken by Elec, but it was alive and beating harder than ever for Damien.
I just hoped he wouldn’t shatter it for good.
Review
‘I was developing a massive crush on this man. It felt like there should have been a warning alarm going off at the same time, though.’
Chelsea and Damien are a slow burn that explodes and I loved them. This went from a love / hate to a friends to lovers and I personally savored every moment with them. These two had instant chemistry and a banter that made the story flow marvelously.
“You’re not the kind of girl a guy takes home for a quick fuck. You’re the girl he keeps.”
Neighbor Dearest just got better and better. This first half of the book I struggled with how hung up on her ex-boyfriend, Elec, Chelsea was. I know this was needed but it made for a book I enjoyed reading but I was able to walk away when needed. Now, the second half of the book was a completely different story. I fell asleep reading the book at right around 50%. I happen to wake up at 2AM and thought I would read just a bit to help me fall asleep. Usually, when I do this I am back asleep within ten minutes. Not this time though, nope. Hours I stayed up completely entranced with this heartfelt story.
“There’s supposedly nothing more than a friendship going on between us, right? So, why does being around you hurt so badly, sometimes?”
Damien might just be one of the most perfect book boyfriends written. Equal parts sexy, sweet, kind, fun and when he is pushing her away, mean. I loved every minute spent with him and secretly have fantasies of him ripping on me too. While Neighbor Dearest is not as emotionally crippling as some other of my favorite reads by Penelope it is full of heart and hurt. Not all of it is easy going but it was all very captivating.
~miranda
