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Review

OMG, I love this book! I’m a huge fan of R.L. Mathewson’s Neighbor from Hell series, and will admit to being a little worried about this one because it strays a bit from what we are used to, but R.L. did a fantastic job of staying true to what her fans love about these books, giving it enough of a twist to make it something really special.

The book starts in the present, with Jason’s Dad sitting him and Trevor down to tell the story of the beginning of one of the traditions of the Bradford men. And the boys are in fine form as usual.

“Once upon a time…”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jason asked, shaking his head in disgust.
“What?” Jarred demanded, taking a bite from his sandwich roll.
“You’re really going to start it like that?” Jason demanded, sharing a look of disgust with Trevor, who was inching his hand toward the platter of sandwich rolls.
…“Ow!”
“Those are my sandwich rolls!”
“Dad,” Jason said, not bothering to look up as he prompted his father to get on with it.
“Oh, right,” his father said, pointedly clearing his throat. “Once upon a time…….”

Flashing back to London 1809, we meet Elizabeth Stanton and Robert Bradford as children – family ‘friends’ and neighbours who live to torture and torment each other.

Years later, Elizabeth is being forced into society to find a husband. Being dragged along to balls and introduced to ‘appropriate’ men, she is miserable, and waiting until she is of age to receive an inheritance left to her by her aunt so that she can escape London and the fake life that she is being pushed into. Robert finds himself in a similar situation, being forced to play nice and support his family as his older brother (and heir to his father’s title) searches for a wife.

Both desperate to escape their situations, Elizabeth and Robert find themselves hiding out in the gardens during one particular ball and, not realising who the other is, they engage in some polite conversation which turns into one very hot and steamy anonymous tryst. Holy historical hotness! If you were expecting all politeness and modesty because of the era – think again!

What should have been just one night, an unforgettable memory for both of them, quickly turns sour when they realise who the other is, and as the two families are unexpectedly thrust together under the one roof, Robert and Elizabeth’s childhood battles resume and the two of them are at each other’s throats once again.

When he didn’t respond she got nervous. She looked up slowly to see him practically shaking with rage. She gulped. Giving him a tentative smile she asked, “Too far?”
Slowly he nodded. His fists clenched tightly.
“Oh dear.” She jumped to her feet and ducked just as he reached for her. For some reason she always went too far where he was concerned. It really couldn’t be helped though, it was too much fun to pass up.
She hiked up her skirts and ran as if her life depended upon it. With one look behind her she realized that it just might. He was chasing after her. She shrieked, but didn’t stop. Her father stepped out into the hall in front of her, flanked by James and Lord Bradford.
“Elizabeth?” he asked, stunned.
“Too far!” she said as if those two words would explain why a grown man was chasing his daughter. Evidently it did because all three men laughed and nodded knowingly. She didn’t stick around to see if her father was going to help her. There was a madman chasing her after all.
“Beth!” Robert roared.

Absolutely freaking hilarious! Elizabeth and Robert are in sensational form as they constantly prank and tease each other. But the feelings that started that night in the garden just won’t go away, and they are both battling with the memories of their childhood versus the memories of their one incredible night together, and it was fantastic to watch! I loved seeing them together! They have a true love/hate relationship. They both want each other badly, but they honestly can’t stand each other, and it’s hilarious watching them trying to reconcile their feelings.

This was bad. This was very bad. He needed her too much. His body yearned for her in every possible way. He enjoyed her quick wit and sharp tongue. She could be funny and he knew that she was kind. This was beyond horrible. He hated the woman. She was his enemy.
His enemy.
He was such an ass.

Robert and Elizabeth’s relationship certainly takes a few unexpected turns as they fight each other, their own desires, and the rules inflicted upon them by their families, and society at the time. They are both incredibly stubborn, and they have a few communication issues, but God, I love them both! You can see the Bradford traits already there in Robert, and Elizabeth is an amazing character, so strong, intelligent and fiercely independent. They both have a wicked sense of humour, and their passion for each other is sensational. But it’s not an easy ride for them, and I was surprised a number of times at the direction the story took, but I loved every minute of it. The fighting, the steaminess, the heartache, the tender moments, and a whole heap of happy, I loved watching them find their way to each other and get their HEA (in great detail!).

The historical aspect is not at all heavy. It’s more their upbringing, the society that they live in and the rules that they are meant to follow that make it historical. So even if you’ve only ever read contemporary, you should have no problems picking up this book. The banter, teasing, humour, romance (and the sexy time) is all still there, and it fits in beautifully with the rest of the series.

I highly recommend this to all fans of the series, and if you haven’t read a Neighbor from Hell book yet, get started with this one – Playing for Keeps – you won’t be disappointed!

Loved it – 4.5 stars.