The Ex Next Door: An utterly charming and funny romance

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Esme is extremely judgemental at time, I will forgive her judging Jasmine as she wasn't a nice person to Esme but I can't forgive her being judgy of Lloyd describing his meat as art when he is a butcher and thinking Douglas must be a murderer because he can produce dark art pieces for gallery based on depression and sadness and not just the usual animals he makes. Like love you want to sell it yet judge him for making it. In addition, she is so judgy of Morgan who has done no offence to her except get botox and date her ex partner when they have been broken up for three years at this point and she doesn't even know they dated. The ending I liked but it was rushed and we should have seen more instances that led up to that ending rather than just in the last 30% of the book. The Ex Next Door, is described exactly as it is, an 'utterly charming and funny romance'. At first I thought the plot was predictably going where many romcoms have gone before but alas, I was pleasantly surprised when a few twists and turns derailed these thoughts early on, meaning I couldn't put it down until the end.

I really enjoyed the side characters and their subplots. I thought that each character was hilarious in their own way and I was interested in their little lives. I also enjoyed the resolution of the story, along with seeing Esme's personal growth. It was very satisfying to read her understanding her revelations. That being said, there are some things that made my review waver.At first, I wasn't loving this book. Though the writing style immediately gripped me, the romance was slowly losing my interest. There was barely any interaction with the "ex," whom I thought was the love interest for a good chunk of the book. As the story progressed, I began to hate the "ex" more and more, finding him to be the most insufferable, flattest love interest of all time. Turns out, I was looking in the wrong place because he was NOT the story's major love interest. When I say I gasped!!!! Platt played me successfully, and I totally should've seen it coming. I had theories, but I second-guessed myself for most of the book. Turns out, my favorite male character of the book is the love interest! Platt wrote the romance in such an interesting way, that I thought for sure Megan and David would end up together. However, when the MC began to realize her feelings for David, I squealed with joy. The seeds had been there all along and it made perfect sense. I absolutely LOVED the last 25% of the book--including the resolution. It was a such a fantastic "switcheroo," and turned the story into a beautiful "friends to lover" romance, rather than a "second chance" romance like I immediately thought. (I went in blind!). See with your heart versus with your eyes. (When it comes to relationships, we can often fool ourselves into seeing what we want to see when we focus on the superficial.) Katie Gatewood’s love for her husband Dan is put to the test when Dan’s obsessed ex-girlfriend Louisa moves into the house next door, intending to drive the happy couple apart by any means necessary. I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 2nd in the Secret Shifters Next Door series and ends in an HEA for the couple, but the plot line continues. There is a new couple in this book, but also a lot of scenes with Book 1’s couple, Harley and Tate with their newborn! A curse brings the shifter friends to their mates. If they don’t actually mate with these women, they will die. Tate is saved, so it is now Steff’s turn. Steff is a bear shifter who gets a second chance at his high school love, April. April is a supermodel whose wild behavior sends her running home to hide. The meeting between Steff and April is very realistic, as are the meetings between Steff and his former BFF’s (April’s brothers).

Elise is manipulated into throwing a party with the couple; she writes a book about forgiveness and doesn’t want to be a hypocrite. The dinner is about as awkward you would think; Lee and Allan agree to go hunting together. Geena over drinks wine and insinuates that Lee and Elise still have love for one another. despite all these, i have to say that the writing style gripped me—all narrative, no POVs, easy for me to read in one setting without being tired or restless or needing a break. It begins with Esme and a broken pipe which leads to an entirley new situation that's all encompassing. David is her biz partner but also a possible 'motivator' personally and professionally.What seems innocently enough in terms of a 2nd location to expand upon their already lively biz turns into a possible test of their relationship status as professionals as well as friends.Every so often I really enjoy reading a Roxie Ray book. If I read too many I get really fed up as: The plots are always the same. He left her, treat her really badly, she had his child etc. Plot mistakes are very common, like in this book, he rushed to sit in the passenger seat, then drove like crazy???? Erm 🫤 She says they were apart for 15 years, he says 18 years!!! The women always forgive their men, as the men always fight against mating for life and are really horrible to the women. If you can get past that lot, it’s well worth reading. There are two things I want to write about that brought my rating from a 4 to a 3. But first, I want to talk about the things I loved. throughout this book, esme's attitude flips like a freaking pancake and her actions with elliot appalled me. because she was doing what she didn’t want happen to her 4 years ago. to morgan.