Cover Image: Your Place or Mine?

Your Place or Mine?

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Member Reviews

I was very excited when this landed in my inbox as I've heard good things about Portia MacIntosh but was yet to read any of her novels.

I'm on the fence with this one - it was a quick, light and easy read but I just felt that something was missing. The characters didn't feel fully developed, they came across as caricatures rather than living human beings and maybe too stereotypical. The plot developed at a good pace and it did keep me interested but it fell slightly flat for me.

I'm also not a big fan of the enemies to lovers theme (its far too overdone/predictable) , but this is maybe more due to personal preference than a comment on the writers skill.

Overall, enjoyable and worth a read.9

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I’m a massive fan of Portia MacIntosh and that always brings the dread of “what if I don’t love the next one?” Fortunately this is another cracker, humorous, adventurous and delightful. Grab it now.

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"I've never disliked someone, been so mad at them, and yet wanted them so badly at the same time."
When Serena is kicked out of her flat, an offer from her friend, Taylor, to house sit could not be better timing. But unfortunately she's not the only one to have received this offer... Enter Ziggy: arrogant, messy (and annoyingly handsome) musician, and friend of Taylor's husband. Living with him is far from ideal, especially when he claims the best room, has loud parties and horrible kitchen manners. There's just one solution for Serena- drive him out of the house by being twice as difficult to live with! But Ziggy knows her game and as war ensues between them, being forced together under one roof may result in some unexpected consequences.
Alright so this one was a light and fun read for sure it. It had a lot of unexpected moments that made me laugh. A lot of the book was a very typical romantic comedy with plot points and stereotypical characters. I have to admit that I would have enjoyed the book more if the two main characters had not been the main characters as I was not a fan of either of them. Give me more characters like Al!!! Serena in this story has a horrible boyfriend, who she quickly learns has some secrets. Her solution to the problem didn't feel very mature, but did provide some comedy to the narrative.
I think the concept of the book was very cute and its a quick lighthearted read, I just would have preferred different main characters, or less stereotypical characters. I did enjoy the surprises the author threw in, like the surprise business and a character who knew far more than she was given credit for. I also would have liked if the tension and banter was more intense between the Serena and Ziggy instead it just felt like two teenagers. However, if you want a fun romantic comedy give this one a shot.

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Thank you for letting me read this ARC.
What a great story that kicks off when Serena loses her job and has to move out of the place she has been staying. The loss of her boss Diana, who was also a mentor, saviour and motherlike figure, leaves her with a life that needs rebuilding, but also gives her something buzzy to ponder. Her friend Taylor offers her the opportunity to housesit with a chap called Ziggy who rubs her up the wrong way. Her boyfriend Dean isnt really that helpful and it soon transpires he has his own secrets. An absolutely gorgeous and even paced read with some twists, turns and a level of naughtiness. A great page turner.

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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for access to this wonderful book in exchange for my honest opinion! This was such an entertaining book. Portia MacIntosh continually delights me when I read her books, and I find I can't wait for the next one. Serena and Ziggy were such well-developed characters, I felt as though I was there with them. I was disappointed to finish the book. Can't wait for her next one!

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Do you have a trusted author whose books always manage to uplift you no matter what so, when you’re in the mood or in need of some uplifting you know one of their books will not fail you? Well, Portia MacIntosh is that author for me. I’ve read several of her books (quite a lot, in fact), and I still have to find one I don’t like. Your Place Or Mine? is the last addition to her fantastic list of rom-coms.

When Serena suddenly finds herself with no job and no home, she jumps at the chance to house sit for a friend while she and her husband go travelling. But the husband has also offered the house to one of his mates, so Serena will have to live with Ziggy, her complete opposite. The clash of the house sitters will start a war to drive the other one out of the house, but their cohabitation will have unexpected consequences.

This was such a fun book I read it in one sitting. If you’re familiar with Portia’s work you know what to expect, and if not just tell you that you will find an easy read with an engaging and humorous style, that will draw you in right from the start, making you fall in love with some charming characters that will win you over.

Serena and Ziggy were both great characters, and they both showed some good development, especially Serena. I liked how much she grew out throughout the story and how she slowly started to come into her own while gaining some confidence in herself. I also loved her relationship with her mentor Diana and how she believed in her and saw Serena’s full potential before she even realized it herself.

Serena and Ziggy’s chemistry was there from the start even though they didn’t know it. Their “house war” was responsible for some great pranks, banter and laugh out loud moments.

They were accompanied by a wonderful cast of supporting characters, and I wouldn’t mind to read a spin off involving some of them (I’m looking at you, Al!).

Light hearted and funny enemies to lovers story with some heartfelt moments, that was a really enjoyable entertainment. If you’re read her previous books you will love this, and if not this is such a great start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review and to Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the tour.

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This was a cute RomCom story where there was a lot going on. There's Serena's job and living situation after her boss Diana dies, then there's the men in her life. Basically there is a whole lot of drama, but also a lot of fun and adventures.
Some readers may have liked the focus to just be on the enemies to lovers trope going on between Serena and her roommate Ziggy like the synopsis suggests, but I found the whole getting back/revenge on Dean her boyfriend to be super entertaining, constantly waiting for what she would try next. I also loved seeing what would happen with Serena's job situation. Overall this was just a really fun read with some fun characters and som crazy events that made me really happy to have a dull life in comparison.

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This story is the ultimate love letter to Leeds. After being forced out of her flat, Serena finds herself moving into her friend’s house to house-sit. The only issue is… Ziggy, who is also house-sitting, and is determined to push Serena out.

I enjoyed reading Serena and Ziggy’s story. I was slightly disappointed as there was very little built up to their first romantic interaction, they were very much enemies and then boom lovers. As the narrative explores Serena’s reason for requiring the house share and explores her grief, I felt their relationship somewhat suffered and as I reader I was constantly wanting more from them. I did thoroughly enjoy the ending and the epilogue. There are many subplots within the story which kept be engaged throughout.

Read if you enjoy.
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
House Share
Slow Burn

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When Serena finds herself jobless as-well-as homeless at the same time, things aren't looking good, but when an opportunity arises to house sit for a friend things are looking up; until her housemate does all he can to drive her out.

It isn't long before an accident causes them to have a truce, but now they must work together to fix the damage and fix their lives, but maybe they got more out of it than just house mates,

I felt Serena's emotions and wanted to be her friend throughout the novel. Standing next to her when she lost Diana, tell her how awful Dean was and win back the vase; it also would have been fun to help her drive out her house mate.

But as Serena and Ziggy developed into more than just friends I was excited for them and enjoyed then working together on different schemes.

This was a really enjoyable read and an author I have read a few times now that when I see their name I know I can't go wrong.

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What would it be like when two people are forced to live under one roof to watch over a newlywed couple’s house while they are away traveling for their honeymoon?

This is my second book read written by Portia Macintosh.. I always find her rom-com books light-hearted, fun and easy to read.

In between the two MC’s, there are fair share of fight and sweet moments. They have shown their flaws and imperfections, too. Having said that, they are still both fun and entertaining book characters. The author is able to develop a slow burn, because there’s a “will-they-won’t they” energy that has kept me hooked in their love story.

The book has conveyed deeper themes. It addresses the importance of embracing and expressing sexuality, business succession arrangements, grief and showing values to employees. There are a lot of inspirational quotes that I loved, too. I write them down in my notebook journal.
All in all, I would recommend this book who’s up to read a good and light-hearted rom-com genre with closed proximity and enemies-to-lovers trope.

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This enemies to lovers troupe is a wonderful read. Serena and Ziggy are literally thrown together when they are both asked to house sit for friends. Serena is the star of the story and has a lot going on. I loved her adventures and her sense of self. This is a perfect escape read that I read in one sitting.

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A fun, fast paced read.
Serena ends up sharing a house with Ziggy when they both have no where to stay. They don't get off to the best start, and soon are trying to force the other to leave the house, but will they realise that the other isn't as bad as they think?

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A rom-com that had my heart beating from the first page until the last. Serena and Ziggy are both housesitting for there friends with hilarious consequences a rival begins, they are both trying to get the other to move out of the house. The characters are unique and surprisingly strong. I loved the narrative of the plot particularly between Serena and Ziggy and there antics of trying to get the other to leave. I belly laughed through this one and it made my heart hurt. One of the best rom-com's I have ever read. I love Portia's novels they are highly addictive.

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This was the perfect contemporary Rom-Com that had my heart from the first page. I love enemies to lovers, not my type on paper tropec through this book. The quirky characters sell the narrative of this book and their chemistry is so obvious and jumps off the page. I will definitely read more Portis Mackintosh ASAP.

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I liked this book! Had what I consider to be very classic British romcom writing—an almost detached style with very solid dialogue and a lot of showing rather than telling.

The concept was fun and I was invested pretty much from the get-go. Really loved the way it all wrapped up! Would give it a solid 4 stars.

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The plot for Portia MacIntosh’s Your Place or Mine? is not exactly original…in fact I think I read at least three or four books with similar plot lines last year. Does that bother me? Not in the least. Why? Because it’s a trope that almost always makes for a fun story. What’s the trope? Forced proximity/odd couple roommates. Things aren’t going great for Serena, when she suddenly finds herself unemployed and homeless, her friend Taylor offers to let her stay at her place and house sit while she and her husband are off traveling. Sounds like the perfect solution, right? And it would be except for the fact that Taylor’s husband has made a similar offer to his friend Ziggy. The two are quite different and it’s hard to see them ever living harmoniously. So what are they to do? Why try to be as irritating as possible in an attempt to drive the other out of the house of course. Pretty sure, you can see where this is going, right? And since this is a rom-com, I’m pretty sure you can guess where things end up. The story is a lot of fun, and I definitely had a smile on my face for much of it. While I can’t say this was my favorite book by Portia MacIntosh—something about the pacing felt a little off at times—I can still easily say that overall I definitely had a good time with it and will be looking forward to her next book. I’d like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Your Place or Mine?

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3KH3PRU1GSXO3/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

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I love @portiamacintoshauthor yet it's been a while since I've read one of her books! (I've been a super slow reader the last half of this year, so it was lovely to pick up #YourPlaceOrMine & get stuck in! 👍
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⭐️ Fun characters with cool quirks and personalities.
⭐️ Laugh out loud moments and also 'nice one' moments: see 'The Heist.'
⭐️ Feel good, flirty and funny - I know I said that twice but this is Portia we're talking about!
⭐️ An enjoyable read that's heartwarming & endearing! I loved the story & how it all came together at the end! ❤️
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Highly recommend this & others by @portiamacintoshauthor!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for my ARC of this book!

This story follows Serena, who has just lost her job and her apartment. She was living above the café she worked at, rent free, for a very nice woman named Diana. Diana passed away, and her kids decided they didn't want to keep the business or let Serena stay in the apartment. Serena's luck soon turns around when she is offered a place to stay while her friend Taylor and her husband are away. The only problem... Ziggy. Ziggy is arrogant, messy musician, and friend of Taylor’s husband. Living with him is not ideal and soon war ensues between them trying to drive each other our of the house.

I loved this one! I felt like although it is definitely a rom-com, it wasn't super cheesy. The plot was unique and fun, but still had a lot of story lines that kept me hooked. Serena and Ziggy are total opposites but it made it all the more fun!

This one came out Jan 17 - just in time for a rom-com read for valentines! I highly recommend this one to my rom-com fans.

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Serena has worked as a baker at Diana’s Tearoom for a year now. When her mother passed away, Diana gave her a job and also allowed her to live in the flat above the tearoom. Diana was loved by her employees as she always thought of them as her family. So, when she dies, everyone is shocked and saddened.

Diana had a son, Andrew, and a daughter, Agatha. Unfortunately, the family money made them into lazy and entitled people not wanting to work. With Diana gone, they now plan to sell the tearoom which surprises Diana’s employees.

Out of work and with no place to live, Serena is relieved when her friend, Taylor offers for her to stay at their home while they go on a long deserved trip. When she arrives at Taylor’s, she learns that Taylor’s husband also offered a housesit to his friend, Ziggy. So, both can stay but Ziggy ends up with the newly remodeled bedroom and bath and she’s stuck with the old bedroom that has yet to be remodeled.

There are some good things about this book that centered around Diana. The rest was silly. Serena is 30-years-old but acts like an immature girl. Why she didn’t out Dean is strange. Truth or Dare? At age 30, I would think that silly game would have been left behind years ago. Not a good read as the characters were not solid people but rather flighty.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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3.75⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, down on your luck, close proximity, roommates to lovers, enemies to lovers, musician, unknown cheating, no steamage

Serena & Ziggy
Serena has lost her job at Diana's (a tea room), and her apartment in quick succession when her boss/friend, Diana, passes away. It just so happens that her friend, Taylor, is looking for someone to house sit for a few weeks. Perfect!...or not, since Taylor's husband, Tim, has asked his mate, Ziggy, to house sit too.

They agree they can make it work and live together, but right off the bat they don't get along so well and begin to frustrate each other. When a prank goes too far they put their differences aside and work together to fix their mistake. Eventually their hate for each other grows into more.

I wish we had more time with Diana. She seemed like a great person that her two selfish money grubbing children neglected and didn't deserve. No wonder she left her pride and joy business, Dirty Di's, to Serena. I would have liked more emphasis on the business part of the story.

The whole cheating plot went on a bit longer than I would have liked. Speaking up would've been a lot easier than what Serena did to get him caught.

Side character Al was great and I love that he found a love interest ~ I wouldn't mind a book about him, but only if he wears his plastic thong.

Overall, a quick and easy read.

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