Playing For Keeps

by R L Mathewson

[The Romantic Comedy Book Club]

I didn't know what to expect with this book, especially with the title of series being "Neighbor From H*ll" but I thought I would give it a try anyway. So glad I did as I was pleasantly surprised just how funny this book was (again - book cover and series title definitely create the wrong illusion of the contents). While I am happy with how the book ended, if I had to live next to someone like Jason, trust me - he wouldn’t have made it to a HEA! For that alone, Haley deserves a medal! 

You can take the man out of the frat house, but you can’t take the frat house out of the man. Jason is the guy every woman wants to be with (just ask his neighbors as his latest conquest goes berserk on his front yard) and every guy wants to emulate. He’s gorgeous, funny, smart, and dedicated to the minds of tomorrow (i.e. he is teacher). He is also selfish, self-centered, and a nightmare that Haley has had to deal with for FIVE years! She has tried everything, including selling her house but Jason scared off every single prospect. Feeling trapped and close to her breaking point, Jason finally pushes her over the edge when he begins pulling her grandmother’s flowers out of her yard. A long overdue stand-off between neighbors in rudely interrupted by a swarm of bees. Running for their lives and trapped in Haley’s house, Jason and Haley finally get to know each other, becoming the best of friends and accidentally more.

As much as I enjoyed this book, there were certain aspects of it that "irked" me. The book was absolutely hilarious and very witty but the writing struggled at times, taking away from some moments with either overkill in referencing a previous situation or vocabulary redundancy. I applaud the writer for not going Grammarly crazy (yes - we can tell when authors do that) but it limits in the writing dynamic was apparent. With that being said (and once you got use to it although if I heard her nickname used one more time I was going to scream), the book itself was so much fun! The brotherly love between Mitch, Brad, and Jason provided an immense amount of character depth for Jason (and reveals that he has some SERIOUS quick to anger issues!) Those guys together always brought a row of giggles, that and his dad (I loved that guy!) The banter between Jason and Haley just amplified the reason why I read these books. You laugh until your sides hurt, you shake your head in wonder, and you applaud the author for being able to come up with dialogue that sharp. I will say though, where the author may have lacked in vernacular velocity, she very well made up for it with the sizzling scenes between Haley and Jason. The creative elements alone peaked my interest!

So much humor, so much heart, Playing For Keeps is definitely worth the read. I think the best part about this book is watching the apprentice become the master over time. When Haley comes into her own and Jason finally becomes the man she knew he could be, you kinda wanna give them both a high five for a job well done.