Checkmate (Neighbors from Hell #3) by R.L. Mathewson
There’s nothing worse than living next door to your childhood nemesis, except maybe being forced to share your dream project with him, being blackmailed into going along with something that was just wrong on so many levels, and having your hot cocoa stolen by the person that drove you to drink it in the first place.
As long as she has plenty of hot cocoa, a pair of pliers on hand and is able to resist Connor O’Neil's bad boy charm then Rory James should be able to make it through this project with her sanity intact. If not...
She’d probably face a few more nights in jail, have a few more restraining orders slapped against her and lose her heart to the man that ruined her life.
Cover and synopsis from Goodreads
There's nothing I hate more than not being able to finish a book. Especially when it's the FIRST official review I have done on the blog. That being said, it is a book that I have struggled with for a couple of months.
It started out with the two main characters, Rory and Connor, basically hating each each other and working to make each other's lives a living hell. This is where I started having issues. The things that they done to each other (especially Connor) are just downright mean and horrible in my opinion. He's really going to buy the house next to her, just to torment her? Of course he is. Jeopardize any chance she has at any relationship? Oh hell yes. This rivalry they have is almost too much.
Lo and behold, it comes out that they are really attracted to each other. Of course, they realize this after making an insane deal to "play nice" with each other. A deal where he plans on putting her out of business, and turning her own brother's against her. I'm sorry, but after some (most) of the shit that he puts her through, I don't see how in the hell she could even stand to be in the same room as him.Physical attraction only goes so far. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling anything, although I barely made it through 50% of it.
I read the first two in this series, Playing for Keeps, which I really liked, and Perfection. I happened to LOVE Perfection, one of the main reasons I was so ready for Checkmate. I thought it could only get better, BUT I was horribly mistaken.
All three of the books are mild erotic, and the steam factor for Checkmate wasn't lacking in the least. Mathewson knows how to write those parts beautifully. I just had major issues with their "relationship" as a whole.
I hope in the future, I'll be able to at least finish this book. I can't promise it's going to change anything as far as my opinion, but I do hate to leave a book hanging in the balance. I definitely recommend the first two in the series.
I am not leaving a rating for this book, I believe it's unfair to give a book one unless I have finished it. How do you rate when you have a DNF? Have you read this and think I am being unfair? Please let me know in the comments, thanks and have a great day!!
Stephanie
I haven't read this series but loved your honesty and found the description of the two main characters pretty amusing.
ReplyDeleteI don't rate books because I feel it is a bit subjective and would rather my review speak for me instead of a few stars (but thats just me.) I do post my DNFs though as I usually have as much to say about them as the ones I finished.