It’s Romantic Thursday with Bookmunchies! So why is Thursday romantic? Because I like Thursday and I like romance! Basically, I just love romance, in YA books, in adult, contemporary, historical, whichever the genre and sometimes I’m too lazy to write full reviews but I do love sharing fun quotes or just gushing about characters. So that’s what Romantic Thursday is for! To share my love. May it be through actual full reviews, quick reviews, or just fun quotes.
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Ahoy guys! Original I came up with this ‘meme’ so I could share my love for romance. It was suppose to be more than just reviews, but somehow that’s all it’s been. So I’m going to try a little harder to use this to do other stuff, like recs and discussions!
Today I want to recommended some books from one of my favourite tropes: Literally Loving thy Neighbour aka. the neighborhood love interest! I have a soft spot for stories where the H/h are sorta forced by proximity to be near each other, usually leading to lots of cute/hilarious/sweet/weird moments that allows the relationship to develop. And for some reason the enemy-to-lovers trope is usually mixed into it too, which makes it even more fun and shenanigan-y.
Neighbour from Hell Series by R.L. Mathewson
Count: 7 (and counting)
Publisher: Pocket Books
Find on: Goodreads
This series so so funny to me. Though at some point, the things those guys say really need to be taken with a grain of salt, it’s usually quite hilarious. Be warn though, it’s also pretty raunchy. That being said, this series is the pinnacle of neighbour/enemy-to-lover romance! So much shenanigan! Also, all the Bradfords are food fiends which also results in crazy and rowdy moments.
Book 1 and 2 (Playing for Keeps and Perfection) are probably my favourites. Truce (book 4) is actually a historical romance (it’s the background story to why the Bradfords always need so much food), ha.
Oh and there’s cute bromance.
“What would my little grasshopper like?”
…
She glared over her shoulder at him. “I’m not going to call you Mr Miyagi you know.”
“Yes you will, but that’s not important at the moment.” (Playing for Keeps)
&
“It’s nice to have eye candy around for my enjoyment.” He looked Brad over. “It wouldn’t kill you to pretty yourself up if you’re going to be in my presence.”
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that,” Brad said wryly.
“See that you do.” (Playing for Keeps)
&
Jason felt all the blood drain out of his face. He stood there as the reality of Mitch’s words hit him hard. One day it would be another man Haley would talk to, watch games with, or just sit in absolute peaceful silence while they worked or ate, and worst of all it would be another man holding Haley in his arms at night.
“Fuck…,” he gasped.
“Oh great, you broke him! Are you happy now?” Brad demanded. “Come on, buddy, we’ll get you fixed up with a cold beer and a plate of hot wings. How does that sound? Does that sound good?” Numbly, Jason nodded.
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Wallbanger (and series) by Alice Clayton (review)
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Series: Cocktail (Goodreads)
Count: 4 + 1 novella
Find on: Goodreads
This one seriously just cracks me up. A wild romance full of innuendos, baked goods and a cat name Clive basically sums it up. But if you want to know more, it’s a hilarious, world-wind love story with that touch super sweet to boot. The crazy antics and misunderstandings between Caroline and Simon really give us some seriously hilarious moments. And the romance is actually pretty sweet in the end. (It’s also kinda raunchy.)
Wallbanger actually made my Top Ten Reads of 2012, Best Couple and Best Book Boyfriend (:
Oh the rest of the series is also kinda neighbourly love trope too! I’ve actually only read Screwdrivered, but it ‘s pretty cute.
“I leaned back against the door, hugging the sweatshirt in my arms. I’m sure I had the goofiest grin on my face, as I remembered the feeling of his fingertips. And then I remembered I was hugging a pee-stained sweatshirt”
&
“He was wooing me. And I was letting him woo. I wanted the woo. I deserved the woo. I needed the wow that would surely follow the woo, but for now, the woo? It was whoa.”
&
“And Caroline? Speaking fo thin walls?” he said, as he opened his door and looked back at me. He leaned in his own doorway, thumping his fist on the wall.
“Yes?” I asked a little too dreamily for my own good.
His smirk reappeared and he said, “Sweet dreams”.
He thumped the wall one more time, winked, and went inside. Huh. Sweet dreams and thin walls. Sweet dreams and thin walls…
Mother of pearl. He’d heard me…
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Suddenly One Summer by Julie James (review)
Publisher: Jove
Series: Spin off of FBI/US Attorney (Reviews)
Find on: Goodreads
So I’ve recommended this book as part of RT’s rec of Contemporary Love. It actually kind of reminds me of Wallbanger. It starts off with Ford and Victoria ending up being neighbours for the summer and of course they can’t stand each other at first but after some bickering, and flirting and sweet moments, we get our HEA!
Audrey’s head spun. “You puked in the alley? Wow. You must really like him.”
“Oh, God. Don’t say that.” Victoria bent her head over her knees and took slow, deep breaths.
“The vomiting seems to be her way of expressing her feelings toward Ford,” Rachel told Audrey.
“Aw. And they say romance is dead.”
&
“Hands hovering over the keyboard, he paused and looked over. “I’m going to begin typing now, so you might want to brace yourself for the onslaught of sexiness.”
&
“Victoria turned and got her first look at the shower-fresh version of Ford Dixon. Gorgeous as ever; six-foot plus inches of incredibly blue eyes; wet, mussed hair; low-slung jeans; and a T-shirt stretched across his broad, solid chest.
And bare feet.
She heard the tiny cry of a hundred unfertilized eggs as one of her ovaries exploded.”
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The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot
Publisher: Avon
Series: Boy (Goodreads)
Find on: Goodreads
An oldie, but a goldie! I love this Meg Cabot book (and whole series!). It’s just adorable chick-lit. I mean this
“Gossip columnist and single New York City girl Mel lives in the most exciting place in the world, yet she’s bored with her lovelife. But things get interesting fast when the old lady next door is nearly murdered.
Mel starts paying closer attention to her neighbors—what exactly is going on with the cute boy next door?
Has Mel found the love of her life—or a killer?”
just screams fun and shenanigans!
In the second grade, when you are a boy who likes a girl, you give her your best Pokemoon card. Or you pull her hair. Not hard enough to make her cry, though.
Or you can ask her to roller-skate backwards with you, and them hold her hand so she doesn’t fall down.
&
Friend Tim shakes hands with Perfect Specimen of Mankind. Will never wash right hand again.
&
“Honey, You ain’t a hundred dollar bill, not everyone is going to like you.”
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EXTRA:
for fans of YA, there’s Lola and the Boy Next Door for your neighbourly love interest!
