After years of hustling, Collins Carter has finally made it...back to her parents’ house. Between tending to the compost with her newly retired dad and running into her high school nemesis at the only decent coffee shop in town, Collins realizes this subdivision from hell she swore she’d never return to is her rock bottom. Then the homeowner’s association complaint arrived. Nathaniel Adams always dreamed of a nice, quiet life in his suburban hometown. Or at least that’s what he thought until Collins moved back and sent his quaint, organized life into a tailspin. He thought Collins was infuriating ten years ago, but when she announces she’s running against him for HOA president, all bets are off. From secret board meetings to vicious smear campaigns whispered over backyard fences, Collins and Nate sink to levels their sleepy suburb has never seen before. But as hate turns into lust, these two enemies are forced to reckon with the feelings they’ve ignored for years. If only there were bylaws for real life.

I've loved Alexa Martin's books in the past and was so excited to get a sneak peak at Next Door Nemesis. This was a cute friends to enemies to lovers story. Unfortunately I found myself skimming a bunch and couldn't get into the petty HOA drama. I found Collins to be pretty immature for an ALMOST 30 YEAR OLD. (She only mentioned that a dozen times!) I found Nate, especially in the beginning, to be incredibly rude and condescending. Like no matter who I hate I never talk to them as rudely as he did. I did end up liking him more as the book went on but like you just dont talk to people that way! The enemies to lovers trope is so hard to execute well and I just didn't see Collins and Nate becoming a successful couple. And honestly it showed throughout the book. It felt disjointed. Like they hated each other, then all of a sudden they're having sex after a wild night out to being totally in love in a matter of chapters. I also don't get why Collins insisted on continuing to run for HOA president once her issues with Nate were resolved. Especially when (spoiler alert) she leave and he wins by default. Like all this "at war" for nothing. IDK Overall this was cute. Maybe in a different headspace I would have liked this better.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 11/14.

The enemies to lovers trope can be tricky to nail. I thought Alexa Martin went too heavy on the enemies part. By the time I got to chapter 11 (DNF here), the main characters had barely interacted. Whenever they did interact, there was no semblance of growth between them. I understand that it takes a while for the "enemies" to move towards lovers, but this book felt dragged out. I also found the main characters, especially Collins, too childish for my liking. I didn't like how often Collins bashed on her town/state. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

First thoughts: Don't piss off my neighbors
Mood While Reading: Smirking
Song: Fight Song by Rachel Platten

Alexa Martin's most recent release was a must read for me. A huge thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for granting me access to this title. Next-Door Nemesis has Martin's trademark sass and wit. I enjoy Martin's writing style because of her comedic tone and find myself often smirking at lines from her books.

I adored her football series and Next-Door Nemesis has some of the same elements that I so loved. This is definitely friends to enemies to lovers. It's also sunshine meets grump in some ways. Forced proximity is absolutely a thing, and the chemistry for these two is delightful to see spark.

Collins Carter is down on her luck. A professional scandal of sorts has dropped her back on her parents doorstep. Much to her dismay, Nathaniel Adams is also back in the area. Collins' #1 mission- destroy Nate.

Unresolved feelings only complicate the mission. If you are a fan of Alexa Martin, I highly recommend reading her latest novel- releases November 14th!

If you are in the mood for a friends to enemies to lovers story with a slow burn that scorches - run for this. A perfect book for your next book club!

Collins and Nate used to be the best of friends in high school until one day things changed. Will they finally get a second chance to uncover what happened or will they destroy a neighborhood when they reconnect.

If you thought HOA meetings were entertaining, wait until you discover the madness in this neighborhood.

I loved the fluidity of the story, the chemistry between Collins and Nate along with the supporting cast of characters who I hope will get a chance to have their stories told.

Great banter, lots of tension, and a whole lot of fun!

While I ultimately ended up enjoying this book MUCH more than I thought I would given the first 30%, there ended up being enough that I liked particularly in the back half of the book that ended up making this a 4 star read for me.

In terms of things I liked, I thought the writing was really engaging and sucked me in. I liked both of the characters and when they finally recognized their attraction towards each other, I thought their chemistry was good. The spice was also really well done (even if I maybe wanted another scene)...the open house scene in particular was FIRE. I loved Collins' two friends and hope we get Ruby's book at least! There was a lot about returning to a hometown (and the Midwest!) that in particular really resonated with me, as someone considering a move back to her Midwestern home state in the next year. It was actually really helpful to see Collins come in with sort of a negative attitude but realizing how much she missed living outside of her hometown.

My biggest issue by far with this book is that i just did not buy the enemies piece...to be fair this is an issue I often run into in many contemporary enemies to lovers books. I just don't find it particularly realistic that grown-ass adults would stoop to the antics that Collins in particular stoops to. I also didn't really buy their chemistry at all while they were antagonizing each other. And I also don't know that I think the reason that Nate stops being friends with Collins as teens is that...believable? I mean obviously teen boys are idiots but for neither of them to have even spoken to each other once when they were best friends before?? I'm really not sure..

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Alexa Martin is a favorite/autobuy author and this is a new favorite from her! I listened to the audiobook in addition to the ebook and adored the narrator!

Collins is at rock bottom when she moves back in with her parents and finds out that her former best friend/now nemesis lives in her neighborhood and is the HOA. They have several not so nice meet cutes and she ends up running against him for HOA president. As always with Martin, the banter between Collins and Nate was fantastic! Despite being enemies, there’s obviously chemistry there in addition to a lot of history. I loved the softer moments as they begin to rebuild their friendship and become more. If you like books where he falls first/hard, this is perfect. This was also delightfully steamy. I would totally watch HOA-holes. I cannot wait for more books from Alexa Martin!

I love Alexa Martin and this book brought me the joy I was hoping for 💕 Collin is the cheese loving queen of petty and I WAS HERE FOR IT! Alexa’s brand of humor is mine to a T so I thought the dialogue and HOA drama was pretty funny, and the ending was oh so satisfying! Wonderful characters, witty banter and neighborhood gossip, Next Door Nemesis is a win for me!

Friends to enemies to lovers yesssssssss. The pure ridiculousness of a suburban neighborhood's Homeowners Association mixed with romcom hijinks is perfect and Alexa Martin's snarky prose is right for the occasion. This book made me snort from laughing at 7 AM and gasp at the steamy scenes. I absolutely adored Collins, especially when she started interacting with Nate. Their banter and childish rivalry was EVERYTHING. (Also Nate the Snake in more ways than one, eyyoooooo) This book also touches on anxiety, artistic integrity, and toxic relationships in authentic ways, and just felt so genuinely heartwarming. Alexa Martin has secured her place as an auto-buy author for me!

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for a gifted ALC*

This book had EVERYTHING I love. Banter, passion, and a lot of back story. The writing was fantastic and I will be reading more from Alexa. This story was very entertaining, I could not put it down. It was romantic as well, and kept me on my toes. The enemies turned lovers was just perfection.

This was cute and sweet, it’s a fluffy romance read that has some great moments of charm. It was easy to breeze through this and while there’s some sadder past moments and themes discussed, this overall stays and feels very light and low stakes.

I loved the HOA enemies storyline which provided for some great antics between Collin’s and Nate. Their past history definitely helped them chemistry and relationship feel genuine and several of their face offs made me giggle.

I do wish the HOA race results was handled with a bit more fanfare given it’s front and center throughout the whole book, but overall this was a fun read. This was steamier than I expected with two open door scenes and let me just say…I’m glad someone else appreciates the power of a good ass in khakis.

Thank you so much Berkley for my galley!

A very cute read about what really matters in life and going after what you want.
Collins’ life is at a low ebb. Disgraced out of LA she’s hiding in her Ohio childhood bedroom.
It took me a while to warm up to Collins. While I appreciated her snark I thought she was emotionally immature. I also thought Nate was a jerk at first, but they both changed my mind.
The HOA did seem to be out of control and power hungry.
My favorite scene is the state fair and my favorite characters were a toss up between Collins’ parents and Ruby. I really adored Ruby because she was a force all on her own.
It’s a great read.

Collins Carter has returned home to get back up on her feet after her career and relationship have gone downhill, but when she gets there, she runs into her childhood best friend turned enemy Nate Adams and she finds a new mission: beat him in the race for HOA presidency in Next Door Nemesis. This was a fun rom com, but definitely isn’t a favorite for me. Alexa Martin’s writing is sharp and witty, but I’ve found I really prefer dual POV when it comes to enemies to lovers or romances in general cause it just adds a depth. I was dying to know more about Nate. But I did like Collins too, there were just times she came off kind of self-centered and immature. And a lot of their interactions relied on the angst of their past. I did like the premise a lot, it felt like a unique spin on a romcom. And I did love their small town and all the side characters. The family and friendship elements in this was really strong and I just really loved the friends Collins has in her corner. Overall, it’s a fun small town, enemies to lovers read.

I had so much fun with this interracial enemies-to-lovers, suburban America, next-door-neighbors, HOA-filled romance hahaha. This was a goofy little romcom, and I can see anyone enjoying it. I will absolutely be reading more from Alexa Martin in the future.

Steam: 3/5

CW: cursing, racism, sexism

Well enemies to lovers is my favorite genre, but the amount of animosity in this story made it hard to believe these characters would ever fall in love. For more than half the book all we get is back an forth angst, and when it happens its so unbelievable I didn't buy it. The love interests interactions were also so petty for such mature adults.

In the end, the female MC is just cruel throughout majority of the story and the romance is lost in her actions.

Thank you Berkley for the complimentary copy.

This cheesy friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romcom lacked depth but had me chuckling and eyerolling all the same. The female main character has recently moved back home to her parents and upon learning that an old friend-turned-enemy is now the homeowners association president, she decides to run in opposition in him to take over the HOA. It's juvenile, as are the pranks they pull on each other. The switch from enemies to lovers was too rushed. Still, it's a quick and funny read for anyone in the mood for a suburban middle-America romcom.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This was a really fun interracial small town enemies to lovers romance that sees a big Hollywood screen writer coming home to live with her parents in Ohio after a work scandal with her ex only to get caught up in an HOA election with her former best friend.

Full of heart and humor and a delicious amount of spice. Good on audio and perfect for fans of Christina Lauren or Mia Sosa. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Alexa Martin writes such great rom-coms, so I was thrilled to get an early copy of Next Door Nemesis. It’s fun and funny, and there are some wonderful, heartwarming moments as Collins and Nate battle to become the next Home Owners Association president. Collins and Nate are both super competitive, which makes for some great scenes as they try to one-up each other. The pranks and shenanigans they get into are laugh-out-loud funny (The hose scene! The googly eyes – I can’t even!!), and the quick wit and verbal sparring are top-notch.

Childhood friends turned enemies, Collins and Nate are now neighbors. This pair makes enemies to lovers look good! I think part of it is that they were close friends when they were kids. They have a history, and there are a lot of unresolved feelings between them. They say there’s a thin line between love and hate, and you can definitely see that with these two! I adored their banter, and the push and pull between them was filled with sexual tension and chemistry.

Collins is such a relatable character and someone you can’t help but root for. And when she uses her HOA situation with Nate as the premise for her next screenplay – love it! It’s a rom-com within a rom-com! And Nate is fantastic, too. I like how they slowly go back to being friends as they learn more about each other and what happened in the past while still competing for HOA president. It’s comical and heart-warming and a little bit spicy, and the whole story has a lot of heart.

I also love the secondary characters. Each has such a dynamic personality, and I especially adored her parents, her best friend, and her new neighbor across the street. They are all layered and interesting, and they are a great support system for Collins, who is still reeling from an embarrassing viral moment that ruined her career. There are strong found family vibes going on with Collins at the center of this charming group.

The story includes some great messages about following your heart, owning your choices, and taking chances. It also explores the benefits and difficulties of living in an HOA neighborhood. It’s an uplifting and fun contemporary romance that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Special thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Collins Carter always knew she wasn't meant for life in suburbia. She hightailed it out of her Midwestern town the moment she could with dreams of Hollywood. But after a video of her goes viral (and not in a good way), Collins finds herself right back in her childhood bedroom. The only thing worse than dodging her mother's good-natured attempts at helping or tending the garden with her father is her ex-best friend-turned-nemesis now living next door. All Nathaniel Adams wanted was a quiet life. Or at least that's what he thought until he crossed paths again with Collins. The pair used to be attached at the hip, but now seeing one another causes hackles to rise. After a run-in causes Collins to run against Nate to become HOA president, all bets are off. Neither are above sinking to the lowest levels to win, and it doesn't take long for their hate to turn into something more.

The premise of this sounded too good to ignore. I loved the idea of childhood friends turned enemies now competing against one another for a HOA title. There was so much animosity between Collins and Nate over a misunderstanding when they were teens. The air between them was rife with tension, and it led to some petty interactions between the two. I thought both were a bit immature and childish. It felt like they were being spiteful just for the sake of it. I think that was the main reason it was difficult for me to root for the romance. It was fine, but not my favorite. I would've liked it more had it been dual POV. However, I did love the relationships between Collins and her parents and with Ashleigh. While it's not a new favorite, I'd recommend it as a quick rivals-to-lovers romance.

Collins has moved back to her Ohio hometown into her parents' home in utter defeat. Her long-term relationship has imploded along with her writing career. She's feeling aimless and especially vulnerable and not at all prepared to run into her ex-best friend Nate.

Nate and Collins were inseparable as kids. However after Nate went away and spent the summer with his grandparents one year, he returned to their hometown and completely ghosted Collins, opting instead to hang out with the popular high school kids. Collins was devastated. After graduation, she moved away to LA for college to pursue her dreams and never looked back.

In her current reality, she is now forced to contend with Nate on a near daily basis as he lives down the street in a brand new home.

Somehow their daily jabs and sparring escalate until Collins finds herself ready to go to war with Nate-even if she has to run against him in the HOA presidency race to achieve her goal.

As the campaign heats up, things are heating up between Collins and Nate. Will their hate expose deeper feelings? Will Collins and Nate reconcile their past as they grapple with the possibility of a future?

Martin creates complex characters and a steamy romance amidst the exploration of themes of family, the importance of home, and the often circular path we pursue to follow our dreams. This is a novel that's both spicy and heartwarming-a rare combination.

This is my first novel by Alexa Martin and it won't be my last. Highly recommend!

What a gem of a romcom!

I got totally sucked into this book, and the storyline was just pure gold. I was loving how the HOA election was thrown into the mix, cranking up the rivalry between Collins and Nate.

The characters? Oh boy, they stole my heart. Nate's past was a real heartstring-tugger. And that chat about why he and Collins drifted apart? Ouch, it hit deep.

This book really digs into the nitty-gritty of the entertainment world, especially for writers. It lays out the power dynamics, especially for women, and Collins being a woman of color just added that extra layer of awesomeness.

In a nutshell, this book was a breezy, fun read. Alexa Martin sure knows how to whip up a killer romcom!

Shoutout to NetGalley for hooking me up with this ARC. 📚💕