ABOUT THE BOOK

Hollis Hayes is the worst neighbor in the entire history of neighbors.
She’s also the hottest.
F.M.L.

I don’t have time to fight with the dog groomer next door. There’s a brewery to run, siblings to rein in, and a mom to look after. So if Hollis thinks I’ll roll over and let her drive me out of business, she’s not nearly as smart as she thinks she is.

Sure, I enjoy the little pranks we play on each other, and I don’t hate watching her prance around in those tight leggings. But she’s gone too far this time, even if she pretends to know nothing about it.

I’ll do whatever it takes to save my business from going under, and if that means playing dirty with the girl I love to hate, game on.

MY REVIEW

Holy buckets! I always love to read rom-coms, but I love spicy rom-coms with snark even more. Take Hollis and Cash for instance. Their so-called dislike for each other, heightened by their creative and entertaining pranks against one another, is nothing more than foreplay. They are destined for love, but will their secrets tear them apart?

Cash is grumpy, gorgeous, and loves his family to a fault. When his father died, he took over as provider and protector for his family and the family brewery. He has no time for games and snarky dog groomers who push all his buttons especially after his temper gets his business in trouble. Finding ways to pay for upgrades after the health inspector dropped a bomb is going to be next to impossible until an unexpected offer from his next-door nemesis.

Hollis is proud of her dog grooming business despite who her family is. She is independent, dedicated, and has a good heart. So when she finds out her sister and stepdad may have something to do with Cash’s business problems, her guilt spurs her to help him raise the money to save his business. As the cease-fire brings them closer, Hollis worries about telling Cash her role in the whole health inspector thing because she’s lost her heart and she doesn’t want to lose him.

Ms. Stewart is a master at writing hostility and sexual chemistry. From the very beginning, I was chuckling at Hollis’s and Cash’s sarcastic and hilarious quips. And their chemistry is explosive…that first time together is H O T!!!!! I love that Hollis and Cash are so much alike in that they put family and friends first. Cash comes across as grumpy all of the time, but he has a lot on his plate. He’s really a great guy who loves his family and underneath all of the gruffness, he’s so tender and thoughtful. When he takes care of Hollis after her drunken bender, I fell so hard for him. Not to mention that sexy, seductive stalking thing he does with her. Yum! Hollis has worked so hard for her business and my heart ached for her when her family looked down on all she achieved. I was proud to see her finally stand up to her family and see them come around. Hollis’s grand gesture to Cash is a scene stealer.

Cash’s family dynamic is funny and precious as the sarcasm and love flow freely. In addition, Hollis’s relationship with her mom and friends is endearing. 

I am delighted to recommend this enemies-to-lovers rom-com that has so much heart, hilarity, and a few twists that hopefully Carter’s story will address. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Ms. Stewart for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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EXCERPT

HOLLIS

What the hell happened last night? The last thing I remember is getting in bed and taking a sleeping pill so I could stop my mind from buzzing and get a good night’s sleep. Those things can knock me a tiny bit sideways, but they can’t be powerful enough for me to forget inviting Cash over to sleep in my bed!

I hurry to the bathroom and lock the door behind me so I can freak out in private. I pee, then scowl at my reflection, brush my teeth, and take a few deep breaths before opening the door again. The sight that greets me threatens to make me fall immediately in love with Cash Brooks.

He’s on the floor in bare feet, a pair of jeans, and that black T-shirt, laughing at my dogs as they crawl all over him. My head drops back and I silently ask God why she’s torturing me.

When he sees me, Cash gives Marco a scratch behind the ears and stands, casually resting his hands on his hips and making my womb literally tremble. This is not the time.

But before I can speak, Cash fills me in.

“You took off so fast from work, I came over to check on you when I got off. You were sky-high on sleep meds, and I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave you alone with an unlocked door.”

“So you slept in my bed?”

How do I not remember any of this?

Oh, crap. I mentally smack my forehead as I remember I skipped dinner last night! That must be why the pill hit me so hard.

“You asked me to.” One corner of Cash’s mouth lifts.

“I wasn’t in my right mind,” I protest, backing up a step.

“Oh, believe me, I know.”

Oh, god, what did I say to him last night?

“That wasn’t me!” I take another step back because he’s doing that sexy slow walk thing that gets me in trouble every time. “That was some crazy version of me. You can’t trust anything she says.”

His eyes twinkle. The bastard is enjoying this way too much.

“So, you didn’t mean it when you said mansplaining makes you want to stab people?”

I move to protest, then stop. “Well, yeah, that’s true.”

He advances with the sexy parade. “And…” He puts a finger to his chin like we’re playing charades and he wants me to guess the word thinking. “You don’t think oatmeal raisin cookies are underrated?”

“Duh, fruit and dessert? You can eat twice as many and not feel guilty at all.” It’s starting to sound like drugged-out me is kind of a legend.

Now he’s getting too close, and my back is against the wall beside my bathroom door.

“But you definitely didn’t mean it when you said kissing me makes your stomach do a ‘swoopy’ thing?” He even does the air quotes.

Crap.

“No comment.”

He’s so close now I can feel the warmth radiating off him. He lifts a finger and traces my jaw, brushing my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. My breath hitches, and I know he hears it because his lips quirk just the tiniest bit. When his hand drops and he dips his head, I know it’s no use lying to him. He can read me like a dirty romance book. I let my eyelids fall as I tip my head up to meet him halfway.

Then…

Nothing.

I open my eyes just in time to see him disappear into the bathroom, the door shutting behind him as he says, “I’ll be out in a minute… peach.”

My jaw drops as snippets from last night come rushing back. Oh no. No, no, no. I think I told him good orgasms make me temporarily deaf. I’ve never told anyone that.

There’s nothing to do now but fake my own death and move to Alaska.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Sylvie Stewart loves bad jokes, dirty rom-coms, country music, and baby skunks—preferably all at the same time. Most of her steamy contemporary and romantic comedy novels take place across her favorite state of North Carolina, and her characters never run out of snarky banter or snacks. When her laptop closes, Sylvie is a sucker for hugs from her twin boys and a good laugh with her hot-nerd hubby. If you love smart Southern gals, hot blue-collar guys, and snort-laughing with characters who feel like your best friends, Sylvie’s your gal.

Follow Sylvie on her website, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Bookbub, Book+Main, and her newsletter.

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