i was so excited for this one but it just did not work out for me. i felt it was too slow. the characters had no chemistry or development between them as i would have hoped to see. and, the romance was practically non existent between the characters. though this one did not do it for me story wise, but i did find it to be written well.

Bree Leake is thrilled to have inherited a partial interest in her late grandmother's house until Chip McBride moves in next door. Chip has a big dog named Russell that seems to wait all day for an opportunity pounce on Bree and shower her with unwanted doggy slobber, and Bree feels that Chip and his dog are ruining her little piece of Paradise. Only a narrow strip of grass separates the two houses- so close that Bree and Chip begin taping messages to one another in their windows. The Cul-de-Sac War is a fun romantic comedy that would translate well onto screen. In a world full of bad news, this is one neighborhood war that readers can enjoy.

Meet cute. Book besties. Book boyfriends. Loved this cover. Love this story. Should be in every vacation beach bag!

Last year Melissa Ferguson blew my socks off with her debut novel and I instantly fell in love (if you follow me on Instagram you may have heard me rave a time or two). So of course I was anxiously awaiting her second book! I did have the privilege of reading a super advanced version last year but I was so excited to get the finished product!
This story was hilarious and entertaining from start to finish and I just loved it! All the crazy back and forth pranks from Bree and Chip had me laughing out loud more than once-so many creative ways to torment your neighbor! From overly friendly dogs to Christmas trees to craigslist ads it was just so uniquely crazy! It may have been a little over the top at times for some people but I was here for it and enjoyed every moment!
I will say that the romance wasn’t necessarily as prevalent in this book and I actually didn’t mind. Considering that they were both seeing other people in the beginning it would have come off kinda slimy so I appreciated the way that the author kept things purely antagonistic until they suddenly realized there was more and were available.
This book was just as much fun the second time and while the first book may still be my favorite this one has cemented Melissa Ferguson’s spot on my favorites list!

In The Dating Charade, we meet Cassie and get to see her fall in love. The Cul-De-Sac War is all about her best friend Bree. The overlap between the two books is very small. Cassie is not a main character in this book at all, and it can easily be read as a stand-alone. It is always fun to get the backstory on characters from previous books though.

I loved this one. If you are a fan of romantic comedy, you won’t want to miss this book. It is perfect if you are looking for a light and clean read. I know I may be in the minority, but I am not a huge fan of “steaminess” in books. It was refreshing to read a rom-com that is fun without all of the steamy scenes. This one is marketed as Christian fiction, but that wasn't really necessary. This book is perfect for any lovers of clean romance.

...And this book was SO FUN. It made me laugh out loud over and over again. It was a fun and sweet story that, in my opinion, topped her first book. I think this is strange because I think I am a lot more like Cassie's character. Bree’s boldness and humor are so different from my own personality, but she still had me cracking up. I tend to be more of a serious person, so I love it when a book can make me laugh.

I am thrilled to have discovered @melissafergusonauthor and I cannot wait to read more of her books in the future.

What a rollicking, fun story. I picked this up after I was about to lose my mind over the political tension in our world and it was like a breath of fresh air. The nonsense and silly war between Chip and Bree was just what I needed. Was it ridiculous? Yes, because it was meant to be. There's something lovable about characters who hate each other enough to learn about one another. It's certainly, a fun, not-extremely-deep story that made me laugh and feel happy while reading it.

Freaking Hilarious. For me, this book was the first in a while that had me literally laughing out loud and seemingly nearly literally laughing my tail off. And since it marked book 148 on the year (and thus somewhere north of 500 during the current US Presidency)... yeah, that's saying something. :D Probably not "Christian" enough for the "Christian Fiction" crowd, so attempting to market that direction is probably a misnomer. But for the "clean"/ "sweet" romance crowd, yeah, this will work. I could have done without a particular element of the epilogue. (Seriously, why do so many romances have to go *there*? I'd rather see explicit, hyper-kinky sex on page than *that*.) But beyond that particular quibble (which is probably about as common as my childfree married male in his late 30s status - which is, not very at all), this really was a fun book and a perfect rebound from the hyper-darkness of the book I read before it. Which also makes it a great rebound for whatever you may be feeling when this releases one week after the current US Presidential Election. And yes, that means this is an ARC read, with all that that entails. In the end, truly funny and fun, and very much recommended.

3 1/2 stars.

I almost gave up on this one, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

When Bree and Chip meet, there are sparks between them, but things take a different turn when she discovers he's the new neighbor.

I wish the first 2/3 of the book were as cute as the last 1/3. Their "pranks" got old and I couldn't see how they'd redeem themselves to the other. Fortunately, they did, even if it almost too late.

It kept me reading and I enjoyed the ending and the epilogue.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Neighbours who are "Enemies" to lovers with prank wars and a guaranteed HEA? Melissa Ferguson had my heart from the premise and I'm so happy this book was everything I was expecting it to be! Funny and engaging and wholesome and feel good and truly delivering on a happy ending! I would've loved the final chapter to have been at least 30 more pages long, it was too early to say goodbye to Chip and Bree! The book had several laugh out loud moments and it just filled my heart with a lot of joy!

This was great little rom-com! Sometimes you need a quick, cute read and this was it. While it wasn't earth-shattering, it was just a fun little story to read. Two neighbors are thrown together in a tiny cul-de-sac and there is conflict from the beginning. We watch as their worlds seem to be falling apart, but ultimately they find a way to build each other up to succeed. Chip and Bree were fun to follow and I thought Chip's dog's love for Bree was a very amusing addition to this story!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so unrealistic in so many ways. First Bree thinks Chip is kind, cute, and entertaining (and never in the history of ever has a guy named Chip been a hero). Then she hates him, because he is kind of a jerk to her. Chip always likes her, but instead of telling her, he teases her and then sabotages her, though she's kind of a jerk to him. Their love connection didn't really develop nor ring true.

Bree, without any training or experience, becomes a professional actor in some sort of regional theatre and makes enough as an extra in Midsummer Night's Dreamto live fairly comfortably and subscribe to a million magazines and buy her roommate an expensive fishing pole. Then, after 2 weeks of practice, she's cast as a dancer in a musical. Anyone who has ever tried to work as a professional actor knows that this isn't how theatre works. You need luck, training, and talent. And you need a side hustle to pay the rent. And small towns can't support professional theatres. And someone who's had a starring off-Broadway role is unlikely to want to come to nowhere Virginia to be in Singin' in the Rain, and if she does, she'd get cast. The details of home renovation, subcontractors, architectural bids (Chip's career) are equally sketchy.

And until a final kiss, there's no physical relationship between Chip and his almost-fiancee Ashleigh or Bree and her crush Theo (and the fact that Chip and Bree are in other relationships? yuck). I know it's a Christian romance, but it's hard to believe that any of these people are in love with anyone else.

This book had several laugh out loud moments, but it was a bit much. It felt like the author tried to add as many funny moments as possible. Some of the things they did went a bit too far and I didn't think that was funny. I wish more attention was spend on the romance. The connection between Bree and Chip didn't feel real. Despite that I enjoyed it enough to finish the book.

The CUL- DE- SAC WAR by Melissa Ferguson.

I belong to lots of book groups on Facebook and I do follow bookstagrammers on Instagram. I have seen photos of this book so much that I was overly delighted to get a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. I am so glad!


The first two pages drew me in. I was mentally prepared for the journey I will delve into the book pages.


Melissa Ferguson writes well considering the fact that this is the first book of hers that I am reading and I am so PLEASED!


This is such a sweet book full of fun and humour.


I love Chip and Bree.

You can’t help following their story. If you want to enjoy stories about neighbors in the same neighborhood, I highly recommend this book.


I am rating it 5 stars.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Fiction through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

This was a fun, easy, read, that I finished in one day. Bree and Chip's rivalry as neighbors had me laughing, and kept the book moving quickly.

As with many romance books, I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I don't want to give away any spoilers, though!

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher, and the author in exchange for an honest review.

I am always down for a good enemies to lovers and Ferguson's inherent personality blasts through the page! The same winsome voice that hooked so many readers in Ferguson's debut is as sparkling here. Balancing humour with warmth and featuring a unique hook and premise. Perhaps what I most enjoyed is that the romantic elements are a little bit stronger. Both leads explode on the page with authentic banter ad intelligent dialogue.

Readers of Sophie Kinsella and Sally Thorne have found their clean reads match!



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Such a cute rom-com! What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. I really enjoyed the banter.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a terrific inspirational romance. Sparks really fly in this well written book. I highly recommend it. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

The Cul-de-Sac War is a delightful, clean-cut rom com featuring next door neighbors Bree and Chip. As each of them navigate many humorous scenarios that draw them together, the line between love and war begins to blur. This story will keep you laughing and groaning as you follow the pranks and activities of Chip and Bree. Great read by a new author!

This was an entertaining, light-hearted read, perfect to relax with on the weekend, vacation, or anytime you need a romantic comedy break! The characters were likeable and the storyline entertaining. I found myself smiling at their antics.
There wer also deeper themes running through the book and it was interesting to watch the character arcs navigate those and see how the two arcs intersected.

Great story! Loved reading about the lives of two different characters. Super pleased with the ending!