Life Next Door

Love Not Included Series – Book 2

By J. D. Hollyfield

Synopsis

There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Priscilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor.

Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape.

However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Pricilla fears that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflé.

Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

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Tina’s Review

*** ARC Provided by Author in Exchange for an Honest Review. ***

Recently divorced from her high school sweetheart, who was having an affair with the younger neighbor, all professional pastry Chef Priscilla “CeCe” Westcott wants is to get herself and her life back on track, but that’s not easy to do when she’s the poster child for “hot mess”.

A job transfer brings Trent Walker to town and he’s just rented the house next door, the same house that her ex moved into when he left her for the slutty neighbor. To say their initial meeting got off on the wrong foot would be a gross understatement.

First person POV from CeCe that, at first, feels clinical and too much like step-by-step, scripted narrative (much like in a play) but it loosens and warms quickly enough. There is humor and a quirk that makes you smile easily and laugh often. CeCe is a 24/7 Murphy’s Law victim that turns to alcohol when things go wrong. For being 31, she suffers from immaturity, too. Trent is devilish, he has a wicked humor and he’s not afraid to charm you given half the chance. The secondary characters are lively, vibrant and a joy to read. Ms. Hollyfield truly captures the essence of the small-town, busybody nosy old neighbor perfectly; I could not help but laugh, picturing my own mother as Mrs. Humphries. The plot is pretty full and takes some unexpected turns now and again, which is great. The predictability of the cause of major conflict between CeCe and Trent was predictable, but still climactic enough to keep me interested in how things would be resolved. The EXTERNAL conflict was completely unforeseeable, well done! The conclusion is well-covered and solid, leaving no holes or cliffhangers. Overall, I’d say it’s a fresh and fun read with good twists.

The Love Not Included Series 

Life In A Rut, Love Not Included-Book 1

Having it all isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

When Sarah Sullivan’s perfect life blows up in front of her, she finds herself crawling back to the one place she never saw herself returning: Home.

At thirty-one, Sarah had it all. Perfect job, perfect boyfriend, perfect life. When all that is taken away from her, she is left heartbroken and angry and desperate enough to let her life swallow her whole…for a while.

Fending off love and the pursuit of happiness completely, Sarah vows to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. She creates a list of goals for herself—starting with a much needed shower—and constructs a plan to dig herself out of her rut. What she doesn’t plan for is meeting the arrogant new employee her parents have hired to work on an addition to their home. Enter Jack Calloway, the handsome, charming, lickable foreman with an insatiable effect on Sarah’s girly parts.

Jack accepts the job, but gets more than he bargained for. Unable to ignore his racing hormones—and calm his temper—over the obnoxious woman who clouds his judgment, Jack pulls her in and steals her heart until she finally surrenders. But is he up for the challenge of picking up the pieces of Sarah’s broken heart? Can he carry her out of her rut?

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Author Bio:

Creative designer, mother, wife, writer, part time supehero…

J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer by day and superhero by night. When she is not trying to save the world one happy ending at a time, she enjoys the snuggles of her husband, son and three doxies. With her love for romance, and head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own story to life.

Life in a Rut, Love not Included is her Debut Novel. J.D. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions to the Love not Included series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.

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