Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson's new novel proves that good fences make good neighbors---and that sometimes love and hate share a backyard.

The Cul-De-Sac War

Claire

Grief was a cruel jack-in-the-box. Sometimes it popped out at the least desirable moments: at the codes department. ins you're stepping in for a building permit. In front of vour mother, just when you see her dry-eyed for the first time in months ie hadn't opene just when she's thinking of something else for once. 

But of course, there was never a time, really, that Jake wasn't in the back of their minds. Standing there in the corner as they talked about recipes for egg salads and his niece's latest achievements.  Jake was always there. Over time, Chip had accepted and integrated that fact into his life. This world wasn't all he had grown up to think it was. Nothing was stable. Not the years of playing make-believe in the backyard with his brothers, the barbecues and fireflies, the comfort of warm duvets on soft beds. Not his family, friends, money, possessions, intellect, status, abilities. None of it was secure. None of it could he stand upon and know it would hold his weight. 

Because someday, some awful day, the ground would shift beneath his feet. The ground had shifted beneath his feet. 

As he'd learned four years ago, the world was good, but it wasn’t wholly good.

The world was beautiful, but it was also worse than his worst nightmare. 

That worldview shift was what first broke him. 

Kayla 

@uplitreads was kind enough to send The Cul-de-Sac War my way! I finished this book in two days lol!
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@melissafergusonauthor is an amazing writer, her writing style was easy to slip into, she created really fun characters too!
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This is a perfect, hate-to-love kind of book! The tension created was so good and also realistic. I love house renovation shows so it was cool to see a bit of that aspect in here as well.
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Bree is such a great character, I enjoyed reading about a woman who doesn’t have her life completely figured out yet. It was quite refreshing actually.
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This is such a perfect book escape with for a bit. I really enjoyed it. Also for those who aren’t into detailed intimate scenes, this book doesn’t go behind the closed bedroom doors so it’s perfect for those who aren’t into that.

Bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s latest rom-com proves that good fences make good neighbors—and that sometimes love and hate share a backyard. Bree Leake doesn’t want to be tied down. She’s had more jobs than she can count, and she plans to move as soon as the curtains fall on her less-than-minor stage role at The Barter—the oldest live performance theater in the US. But just when it’s time to move on again, Bree’s parents make her an offer: hold steady for a full year, and they will give her the one thing she's always wanted—her grandmother’s house. Her dreams are coming true . . . until life at the theater throws her some curve balls. And then there’s Chip McBride—her handsome and infuriating next-door neighbor. Chip just might be the only person whose stubborn streak can match Bree’s. She would move heaven and earth to have him off her cul-de-sac and out of her life, but according to the bargain she’s struck, she cannot move out of her house and away from the man who’s making her life miserable. So begins Bree’s obsessive new mission: to drive Chip out of the neighborhood—and fast. Bree isn't the only one who’s a tad competitive, and Chip is more than willing to fight fire with fire. But as their pranks escalate, the line between love and hate starts to blur—and their heated rivalry threatens to take a hilarious, heartwarming, and romantic new turn. A sweet romantic comedy that can be read as a standalone. Book length: 77,000 words. Includes discussion questions for reading groups. “A book that is filled with both humor and heart.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Ferguson delights with a grand sense of humor and a captivating story to boot!” —Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis “Melissa Ferguson’s The Cul-de-Sac War is sweet, zany, and surprisingly tender. Bree and Chip will have you laughing and rooting for them until the very end.” —Denise Hunter, bestselling author of Carolina Breeze “With her sophomore novel, Melissa Ferguson delivers hilarity and heart in equal measure . . . I was thoroughly charmed from beginning to end.” —Bethany Turner, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck “Witty, wise, and with just the right amount of wacky, Melissa’s second novel is as charming as her debut. Competition and chemistry battle to win the day in this hilarious rom-com about two people who can’t stand to be near each other—or too far apart.” —Betsy St. Amant, author of The Key to Love

The Cul-de-Sac War

Ethel

A slow-burn romance too slow and redundant for me

Key words: fiction, contemporary, humour, cancer, slow-burn romance

Finally finished this book. It took me a little bit more than two months to listen to this audiobook. It’s not even a long book, I just really didn’t get into the story. I think I’m not really made for romance. I mean I like them when they’re really cosy and cute but it wasn’t the case here in my opinion. Hence, this review is going to be quite negative.

First, the characters. I liked Chip though he was sometimes annoying. However, I didn’t like Bree. She was really always complaining and I just didn’t like her personality. I think it is supposed to be a sort of enemies-to-lover trope but I am not sure as I understood the story like only Bree thought of Chip as an enemy while Chip tried to be a good neighbour and then pranked her. Now, the story. It is a romance so of course; you know from the beginning what is going to happen at the end but it is often interesting to see the in-between. In this book, it’s kind of like a ping-pong match: Bree pranks Chip, Chip pranks Bree, Bree pranks Chip… It is just too long. The author tried to talk about cancer through the characters of Bree’s niece and Chip’s brother but it was quite quick and I completely forgot about it for the rest of the story.
A positive point was the narrator. I liked her voice and she illustrated the characters very well. She is part of the reason why I finished this book. I don’t recommend this book but maybe if you are a big fan a slow-burn and light romance, this might work for you.

2/5

Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.

The Cul-De-Sac War

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