by: R.L. Mathewson
Series: Neighbor from Hell
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy/Holiday Romance
Release Date: November 4, 2022
Publisher: Rerum Carta Industries, Inc.
The last thing that he wanted was to fall in love with his brother’s best friend.
From New York Time’s bestselling author R.L. Mathewson comes the next installment in the disturbingly funny romantic comedy series, Neighbor from Hell.
It was time to move on.
Granted, Cayley would have preferred to wait until after Christmas, but with her best friend somehow managing to get her fired and evicted in the same day, she had no choice but to move into the apartment across from the man that really didn’t seem happy to see her.
That was fine.
More than fine because if she could handle her best friend making her life a living hell and an ex-fiancé that was determined to get her back, then she could handle the man that was willing to do whatever it took to let the past destroy them both.
He couldn’t believe this was happening again.
For years, Bryce had been going out of his way to avoid Cayley, hoping that she would finally move on, but now that she was back, he realized that he no longer had a choice.
He was going to have to break her heart.
At least that was the plan until the little brat turned the tables on him, making him wonder how much longer he was going to be able to lie to himself even as one thing became painfully clear…
This was going to be the worst Christmas ever.
“I’m not interested in you,” Bryce said firmly, watching as she frowned in confusion.
“And you’re telling me this why?” Cayley asked as she sent him a questioning look as he told himself that this was for her own good.
“Because I’m trying to let you down gently,” Bryce said, wishing that he had done this years ago.
As much as he hated to do this, it was for her own good. He should have done this as soon as he realized that she couldn’t live without him, but he’d hoped that she’d outgrow it and move on. When she’d started dating the prick, Bryce told himself that it was probably for the best. Then, the prick broke off their engagement and she came running back, more determined than ever.
“I gathered that much on my own, but I’m not sure why,” Cayley said as she pulled into the parking spot that Connor assigned her.
“Because you’re in love with me,” Bryce said with a helpless shrug, not knowing what else to say.
“I see,” Cayley murmured, sounding thoughtful while he sat there really hoping that she’d be able to hold back the tears.
“I’m trying to be nice,” Bryce said, releasing his seatbelt as he tried to think of something that would help her get through this, but…
There was no way to soften the blow, he realized, biting back a sigh.
Frowning, Cayley said, “Let me get this straight, you think that I’m in love with you and-”
“I know,” Bryce said, but she simply continued as though he hadn’t spoken.
“-and you decided that the best way to let me down gently was to blurt it out like that?”
“I was trying to be nice!”
“And it really showed,” Cayley said, nodding solemnly as she opened her door and climbed out, leaving him to do the same and-
“I just never thought it would end this way,” Cayley said with a sniffle, dragging his attention to find her lower lip trembling.
Aw, shit…
“I thought we’d be together forever.” Sniffle. “I just thought you needed time to realize that you couldn’t live without me,” Cayley said as she released a shuddering sigh before continuing. “I always pictured us getting married, moving into a small house with a white picket fence where we would raise our ten children while breeding emus.”
“Emus?” Bryce asked dryly.
Sniffling, she nodded. “We’d make a killing selling emu eggs.”
“And why would we want to do that?” Bryce asked, rubbing his hands roughly down his face, suddenly feeling exhausted.
“How else would we support our ten children?” Cayley asked, frowning up at him.
“Please tell me that you’re screwing with me,” Bryce said, dropping his hands away.
“I would never joke about Fluffy,” Cayley said, blinking up at him.
“Who the hell’s fluffy?”
“Our nearsighted dog, of course. Kids need a dog, Bryce,” she said with a solemn nod, only to follow that up with another shuddering sigh as his eyes narrowed dangerously on her.
“Look, I think I really need to lay down in the fetal position and struggle to fight back the tears that I know are coming while I try to accept that the dream is over,” Cayley said around a yawn that was quickly followed by a mumbled, “Good talk,” as she walked away while he stood there, watching her as he told himself to let it go.
“And you’re telling me this why?” Cayley asked as she sent him a questioning look as he told himself that this was for her own good.
“Because I’m trying to let you down gently,” Bryce said, wishing that he had done this years ago.
As much as he hated to do this, it was for her own good. He should have done this as soon as he realized that she couldn’t live without him, but he’d hoped that she’d outgrow it and move on. When she’d started dating the prick, Bryce told himself that it was probably for the best. Then, the prick broke off their engagement and she came running back, more determined than ever.
“I gathered that much on my own, but I’m not sure why,” Cayley said as she pulled into the parking spot that Connor assigned her.
“Because you’re in love with me,” Bryce said with a helpless shrug, not knowing what else to say.
“I see,” Cayley murmured, sounding thoughtful while he sat there really hoping that she’d be able to hold back the tears.
“I’m trying to be nice,” Bryce said, releasing his seatbelt as he tried to think of something that would help her get through this, but…
There was no way to soften the blow, he realized, biting back a sigh.
Frowning, Cayley said, “Let me get this straight, you think that I’m in love with you and-”
“I know,” Bryce said, but she simply continued as though he hadn’t spoken.
“-and you decided that the best way to let me down gently was to blurt it out like that?”
“I was trying to be nice!”
“And it really showed,” Cayley said, nodding solemnly as she opened her door and climbed out, leaving him to do the same and-
“I just never thought it would end this way,” Cayley said with a sniffle, dragging his attention to find her lower lip trembling.
Aw, shit…
“I thought we’d be together forever.” Sniffle. “I just thought you needed time to realize that you couldn’t live without me,” Cayley said as she released a shuddering sigh before continuing. “I always pictured us getting married, moving into a small house with a white picket fence where we would raise our ten children while breeding emus.”
“Emus?” Bryce asked dryly.
Sniffling, she nodded. “We’d make a killing selling emu eggs.”
“And why would we want to do that?” Bryce asked, rubbing his hands roughly down his face, suddenly feeling exhausted.
“How else would we support our ten children?” Cayley asked, frowning up at him.
“Please tell me that you’re screwing with me,” Bryce said, dropping his hands away.
“I would never joke about Fluffy,” Cayley said, blinking up at him.
“Who the hell’s fluffy?”
“Our nearsighted dog, of course. Kids need a dog, Bryce,” she said with a solemn nod, only to follow that up with another shuddering sigh as his eyes narrowed dangerously on her.
“Look, I think I really need to lay down in the fetal position and struggle to fight back the tears that I know are coming while I try to accept that the dream is over,” Cayley said around a yawn that was quickly followed by a mumbled, “Good talk,” as she walked away while he stood there, watching her as he told himself to let it go.
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The Neighbor from Hell Series:
Pretend releases February 4, 2023
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
Places to find R.L. Mathewson:
I absolutely love this series. So funny and great characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the endorsement, Marcy. R.L. is a new to me author.
DeleteCongratulations on your release of Another Christmas from Hell, R.L., I enjoyed the excerpt and your book sounds like a fun holiday romance for me to read and I like the cover! Good luck with your book and the blitz!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it with me and have a spectacular week!
Looks like a great series and it's on Kindle Unlimited!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting today!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
Deletefun excerpt
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt and cover
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good. Thanks for sharing the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great series. I like the cover and excerpt.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this.
ReplyDeleteI love this title so much :)
ReplyDelete-Amber Terry-