This was such a fun story! My husband would often question what I was reading as I laughed out loud.

There was definitely war and pranks on this cul-de-sac and you'll have to check out the book to find out why!

I really enjoyed the characters of Chip, Bee and Russell.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The review is my own opinion

The Cul-de-Sac War grabbed and kept my attention very well. It does not follow the normal outline of a Contemporary Romance, which might be why I was so intrigued by it. This book is very much enemies to lovers, where neighbors get into a prank war with each other after not seeing eye to eye on well... anything. To be fair, it is mostly instigated by the female MC, Bree, but Chip definitely strikes back frequently. It's all mostly based on a misunderstanding, but it is very entertaining to read.

I felt there were some scenes unnecessary to the book, but overall I felt like this book was well written, well paced, and stayed true to the characters. I enjoy when two characters are in relationships, but end up realizing they aren't who they are meant to be with BUT don't engage in cheating or toxic behaviors. I am happy this story didn't include any of that and allowed the romance to happen when both parties were unattached.

The epilogue was chaotic. I generally love epilogues in romance stories, because it gives you a glimpse into the future to see how the love story is working out. But I feel like this epilogue created more questions than it answered. I left the story feeling like things were not wrapped up and it was very confusing. Not normally how I feel after reading epilogues.

I did truly enjoy this book, and it reminded me of You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle so if you enjoyed that book, you will enjoy this one. It is also somewhat pitched as Christian fiction/romance, but it is not in any way overtly religious - there is just some brief mention of faith. There is also a minor storyline that is more serious, childhood cancer, so be aware of content that might trigger you.

**Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

The Cul-de-Sac War was a bit of a slow burner for me. I read the first two or three chapters and when I put the book down, I didn't return to it for about two or three weeks. It felt like it was going to be a bit of a typical' romance without much bite to it: I was right.

I really, REALLY tried to like Bree but did not feel that I ever get to know her well as a character or have a chance to truly root for her situations and struggles (the house, job, niece). Chip had funnier moments throughout the novel but overall, the characters were pitched oddly and I wanted to not finish it but persevered for the sake of the next door neighbour romance trope, which I am a fan of.

Not sure whether I would like to read more by Melissa Ferguson - I will wait to see what her next novel is about.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The antics between Chip and Bree were quite funny. I liked their meet cute and the supporting characters deserve their own stories.

Thank you to Netgalley, Melissa Ferguson, and Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

I have been wanting to try a Ferguson book so I was ecstatic when I got my approval for the arc! And this one sounded so fun, and funny! I mean, doesn’t a cul-de-sac war sound fun??? I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t too sure at the beginning. It took me a little bit to really get into it and then I just fell for the characters. I love that point in a story when you get deeper into who the characters are, what their story is. That’s the real do-or-die moment for me.

I enjoyed the creativity of the war that took place between characters in this story. I mean they weren’t just messing around! This was some serious business! Lol I also appreciate a goofy dog, and can appreciate Bree’s annoyance at a constantly jumpy dog.

One part that really struck me was a conversation between Bree and Chip that I won’t get I I, but let’s just say I felt like the author had crawled inside my head and put my thoughts and feelings on the page. It was freaky cool! And eye opening as well.

In the end I really really enjoyed this story. If you’re looking for a fun, funny contemporary romance with a little bit of depth, this is one to consider!!!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC of this book.

This is my first book by this author, I was really into it for a solid 60% of the way through. I think that’s when it dawned on me that some of the sadder/content warning ish contents of the book weren’t really necessary for the plot. I didn’t like that aspect about the book at all. But I did enjoy the writing style. I would classify this as a closed- door low steam romance. Some might even say Christian Fiction…it didn’t feel overtly Christian Fiction to me, but it would appeal to a reader who does read within that genre, for sure. The last negative for me was how long the two main characters hung onto their respective partners…. I wish there would have been earlier-in-the-book breakups.

Content warnings: death of a loved one, pediatric cancer.

Bree Leake (Cassie's BFF from Ferguson's charming, poignant debut novel) has relocated to Virginia. A serial job-changer, she's trying her hand at acting in a local theater troupe and rooming with the costume designer. When she meets a handsome man outside the theater, sparks fly — but soon she learns he's her new next door neighbor. Their miscommunications, mishaps and battle of wills make for an entertaining, sparkly, and sweet-but-not-cloying romance.

Let me start by saying that I highly recommend this book. But I might suggest not reading the book in public. I attempted to do just that, but I was laughing so hard that I was crying and almost hyperventilating. All I know is that Melissa Ferguson might be an interestingp person to know in real life because the "friendly" pranks played by the next door neighbors on each other were hilarious. That is definitely a key element of the book. Due to certain circumstances, Bree Leake and Chip McBride decide they do not want to be next-door neighbors. Rather than communicating, they each try to scare each other out of the neighborhood. The porch scene in particular is epic.

But this book is more than a slapstick comedy. This book also has heart. Both of the main characters have to figure out how to deal with life when circumstances do not go as planned. They have to to adjust. And when they take a step back, they also realize that they can relate to each other more than they thought. There is genuine grief over loss that is accompanied by the promise that someday (at least for those who believe in Jesus as Savior) that everything wrong will be made right again.

Beyond the two "leads," there are other relationships that matter to the storyline. The extra cast of characters is definitely enjoyable. A few characters are hold overs from Ferguson's first book, "The Dating Charade." Cassie is Bree's best friend in this title. This friend's family also plays a cameo appearance. Both character's families are included along with a cast from the theater. I do like the fact that the relationships are not purely centered on how the two main characters connect with each other. Adding extra people makes the story more interesting.

Truly I cannot wait to see what Melissa comes up with next. What I do know is that it will be a must-read story for me. A big thank you to NetGalley and to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read a copy of this book early. I definitely wanted to review this one, and all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this rom com. Melissa Ferguson had me laughing one minute and crying the next. She has quickly become one of my must-read authors.

The Cul-de-Sac War is a followup to The Dating Charade, which I also loved, but you do not necessarily need to read The Dating Charade first. You'll be able to enjoy The Cul-de-Sac War just as much, but it is nice to see appearances from our much loved Dating Charade characters.

Bree and Chip are hysterical from the moment they meet. When they discover they are neighbors, the antics continue. Life isn't all fun and games though, each of them have battles to face, and deep feelings and struggles to work through.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was a super cute enemies-to-lovers romance! Bree and Chip were very likable and even though there was slight drama between them, it was still a very easy read.

My Thoughts: This was my first Ferguson book. She came highly recommended by two of my reading buddies. The Cul-de-Sac War did not disappoint! It was everything I wanted in order to unwind at the end of a long day. Something fun, light, flirty, hilarious, but at times deep and meaningful.
I’m a sucker for a great enemies to lovers story, so I was sold from the beginning. The overall writing was a big hit for me. It wasn’t overdone or shallow. I cared about the characters, and I looked forward to what crazy antic they would think of next. Their romance was a sweet development as they grew to understand each other better. It was a great reminder that sometimes we’re too quick to judge someone. I would have liked to have seen more specifically Christian themes in here. It was very clean, but she almost danced around Christian terminology instead of just claiming them. Still, it was a delightful read and one that I’ll be adding to my re-read shelf.

Rating and Recommendations: I’m giving The Cul-de-Sac War 5 stars and recommending it those who enjoy light Christian Contemporary Romance.

~ I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a favorable one.

Thank you NetGalley, Melissa Ferguson and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC of the book The Cul-de-Sac War. This is my personal review in exchange for the ARC.
The story is about Chip and Bree. They are two busy people and when they are not working, they are pulling pranks on each other.
I was so hoping that this would be a book would give me a few chuckles but all it ended up doing was annoying me. I did not like either Bree or Chip. I did not feel any chemistry between them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing an advanced read of this novel.

Wars may rage within and without, but love wins out in this humorous novel.

Don’t you just love it when a book hits the perfect spot in your reading life? The Cul-de-Sac War was exactly the cute, enemies-to-lovers romance I was hoping it would be. I devoured it!

Oh how this book had laughing out loud at the obnoxious antics of the two neighbors we meet, Bree and Chip. I was hesitant right at the start as I worried it would all feel too immature and unrealistic, but honestly? I could see some of these things happening in a neighbor war. That said, I really enjoyed how the author balanced the lighthearted, funny pieces of the story with warm and touching elements. Themes of friendship, family, and career decisions came into play which helped round out this wonderful story.

The only downside here for me was the romance itself. I really wished to have seen more of the chemistry between Bree and Chip been played out on the pages. We get these little glimpses but I was overall waiting for those swoon-worthy moments. That said, this was a very clean romance read and I appreciated that about it.

The author’s fun, crisp, and witty writing has me eager to pick up her previous title now, and I’ll definitely be getting my hands on anything she writes in the future. This was such a refreshing read and I definitely recommend it for my fellow chick-lit, romance reading friends!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the gifted copy.

Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. In this novel, Bree moves to a small town in Virginia to pursue a career as an actress with a local theater company in her grandma's hometown. She meets Chip during a show while she was having a wardrobe malfunction. She ran off the stage to fix, where she stumbled into his arms and he heroically duck taped her costume in place for the remainder of the show. He's already saved her within a few minutes, so obviously she's infatuated with him. Her BFF is Cassie from The Dating Charade, the author's previous work, which it is always fun to see old characters return after their HEAs and see they've still got it. After the show, she gets pissed that a truck is tailgating her, and follows her home. Naturally, she gets road rage only to discover that the driver is her new neighbor and it's construction worker Chip. The book is told in back and forth perspectives, between and Bree and Chip who's just come back to town, desperate to build his new business and finish his home renovation quickly. The two spend most of the book at odds as his renovation interferes with her house and so they play juvenile pranks on each other. Then, these two definitely warm to each other after expressing similar types of grief they are both dealing with. This book is super slow to start and hard to get into, and as much as I wanted to like it, I just couldn't find my interest and it didn't seem as if our two protagonists had any real interest, spark, or chemistry. So, it just fell flat in my eyes. This book was okay, nothing more and nothing less. It's a sweet and wholesome, slow-burn romance.

Cul-de-Sac War is a cute rom-com featuring Bree, an actress who isn't sure what she wants out of life, and Chip, a contractor who just bought the house next door. After a run in with his giant mastiff, their relationship is tense at best, and the shenanigans begin.

This was a cute, quick read. I remember Bree's listless view of her job prospects from when I was younger, so I could relate to her ambivalence. I enjoyed their interactions, and the scene with the livestock made me laugh. 3.5 stars.

This book was super cute, I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance! The dialogue was well-written and both characters were so likable! I sped through it and didn't want to put it down at the end. The book was fun and witty and definitely got me out of my slight reading slump. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson is very well-written, but I was really missing the spark between Bree and Chip. The novel moved very slowly, and I didn't particularly like either of the main characters. They were immature and, again, didn't seem to have much of a connection. I also felt like I didn't know (or understand) enough about them as individuals. The very ending was too typical, too much of what I don't like in a rom-com. I will say that I didn't realize this was a Christian romance when I first started reading, and that aspect was not overbearing at all, which I appreciated.

Unfortunately this one wasn't really for me. I found it to be a bit slow paced and only a little romance and/or chemistry between the characters. An easy read, but not as fun as I had hoped, therefore struggled with this one sorry!

The Cul-De-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson is an adult contemporary romance having two totally opposite main characters fall in love with each other. Bree Leake has got an ultimatum from her parent's to stay in a steady job for a year so that they don't get her married. And then there’s Chip McBride—her handsome and infuriating next-door neighbor.

The only thing common between the two is their stubbornness, and Bree wants Chip out of her neighborhood as soon as possible. They both play pranks on each other and the enemies start to have some soft feelings for each other. I liked the premise. It was at times funny, and also heart warming. I enjoyed seeing how the enemies changed to lovers.

However, the first part of the book was really slow and in between it felt it beating around the bush. I am glad I read the entire book. The ending chapters were quite good and fun to read. The dialogue's between both the leads were quite different and not the regular cheesy romance. So, the story did sound like a realistic romance novel and not a fairy tale romance.