The characters in this book were not cute and i did not enjoy their connection. The whole HOA thing did not hit for me. Was surprised by my feelings because I really liked Martin’s other book.

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Childhood Friends
✔️ Forced Proximity

This was my first Alexa Martin read and it was terrifically funny. I loved

- the strong trio of female friends who are delightful and while you want to spend time with each of the individually, they're magic as a group
- the enemies to lovers plot (with a low-ish stakes rivalry) with zingy chemistry; there are lots of reasons for them to stay apart except it's clear that they are meant to be 🥺
- while a second chance read, it wasn't angsty; this was a romp of a read and kind of reminded me of How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days with the one upsmanship that turned into genuine feelings

If you love romcoms (books and the movies), you'll love this one.

Damn this book was addictive.

This book had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed every single piece of it.

Collins has her life falling apart, so she get back to her parent’s home. She needs to get out of the pool of depression, and who can love you and cook you better than your parents, right?

What she does not see coming is Nate, her nemesis. The guy that used to be her friend, but shut her out.

Damn, the tension, the playfulness. THE FUCKING CHEMISTRY. The way both characters are so relatable, and how despite everything that could keep them apart actually brings them close.

If you need and easy read, and a cute as hell book, look no longer, this is the one !!!

This was a fun romance and I really enjoyed it. I thought the HOA aspect added a lot of humor. The chemistry was perfect and it’s a fun one to read!

Another banger from Alexa Martin

Next-Door Nemesis is a enemies to lovers suburbanite HOA love story lol
As an HOA hater, I love our FMC, Collins and her plight to become the HOA president.
I haven't read a book with a story line like this so kudos to our girl Alexa for a unique story!

Alexa's ability to write funny dialogue and scenes is one of the main reasons why I love her work. I will always pick her books up for a pick me up!!

-enemies to lovers
-HOA shenanigans
-suburb living
-funny & witty writing
-the spice ;)
-HEA <3

Unfortunately, Next-Door Nemesis is my least favorite read from Alexa Martin. The characters are supposed to be late 20s and 10ish years out of high school, but still come off very petty and immature. It just didn't work for me.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my chance to review.

Oh my gosh this book is amazing! This book had just the right amount of spice, tension, and banter for the two main characters! The FMC and MMC are just amazing to read about. The FMC is this middle aged woman with a film writing background that is forced to move in with her parents after being forced out of LA due to her ex-fiance forcing her out. The MMC moves back in to his childhood home only to find out that his sworn enemy is next door!
I loved this book and everything about it; I can't wait to read more by this author!

What could be more intriguing than HOA shenanigans during an election for HOA president? This was a fun book with chemistry between the main characters who knew each other from when they were young and now arrivals for the Hoa presidency. They both had to work through their own problems, and yet they were falling for each other while competing against one another as well. it was fun from start to finish

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

After an unfortunate viral video drives aspiring TV writer Collins Carter from LA back into her childhoo bedroom, she thinks she's hit rock bottom. But when a confrontation with her former childhood best friend, Nate Adams, leads to the two facing off for the newly vacant HOA president position, tension and sparks begin to fly.

This story has Martin's signature wit and I thought the banter between Collins and Nate exceptional. It took me a while to really connect with them as a couple - partially because I didn't buy into thir shared history, so all that tension felt unearned. But one we get that backstory - they clicked, but the first half was a struggle for me. And while Nate's characterization was a little weak, I apprecaited his open communication - it showed growth from when they were kids and how their relationsghip would ahve a chance today. Collins wasa tough character for me to connect with - I wouldn't say she's particularly likeable - she's immature and implusive, but she's also honest and caring so she felt like a real person - flaws and all.

Next-Door Nemesis managed to make a story with the HOA not a miserable and rigged as an HOA. There was flirty banter (over alleged fines), reminiscing, reconnecting, and real connection.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing, NetGalley, and Alexa Martin for an advance copy of Next Door Nemesis in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, I loved this one! The concept was fun, fresh, and new to me! I will say I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers but this story was beautifully crafted and these two had such a deep connection! This is out now and would make an amazing gift for the romance lover in your life! Can we get a sequel about Ruby please?!?!

I look forward to checking out this authors backlist!

Collins Carter has officially moved back home after a bad breakup and a string of bad luck. She is fine with trying to bounce back into her childhood home until she runs into her former archnemesis, Nathaniel Adams. The hate goes way back for them, and it doesn’t seem to fade as they both decide to run for HOA.

Collins and Nathaniel used to be best friends years ago when they were in high school. He ghosted her and started to hang out with the more popular kids, which hurt Collins. They have become on the opposing side ever since then. Now that Nathaniel is back, he still presents himself as the cool person in town, the hotshot real estate agent.

One thing for certain, Mr. Martin knows how to write an entertaining story. She has perfected the craft of believable, well-written, and humorous romances. Next-Door Nemesis is no different from the other winners by Ms. Martin.

I love the frenemies-to-lovers vibe, as usual. However, Collins acted a bit premature for the majority of the book. If the writing style and the overall story arc had not been entertaining, it would have been a huge deterrent for me. She reminded me of someone nearly a decade younger than she actually was.

Nate, on the other hand, is very cold throughout the book. I thought he was full of himself, which made it hard to relate. It would have been nice to have dual POVs so the romantic bond would have been stronger.

I love the friendships and relationships that the main characters developed with the secondary characters. Collins definitely showed her more mature side whenever she was with her girlfriends.

Overall, this is a sweet contemporary romance for fans who like a little bit of rivalry and bickering with their heat.

~ Samantha

I always know I’m in for a good time when I pick up one of Alexa Martin’s novels and that was definitely the case with her latest, Next-Door Nemesis. Who knew a romance between rival candidates for a homeowner’s association presidency could be so entertaining? Not me, but man, did I laugh my way all the way through this book!

Collins Carter is a television writer who is going through a rough patch and has moved back in with her parents for a while so that she can regroup. She’s not thrilled about being back in the neighborhood she couldn’t wait to get away from, especially since she keeps running into Nate, her archnemesis from high school, who is now also running for president of her parent’s neighborhood HOA and the culprit behind a recent unjustified complaint her parents received. Collins, who I loved because she’s so sassy and strong-willed, isn’t having it and decides to run against Nate.

All Nate Adams wants is a quiet life in his nice neighborhood. He figures the best way to make that happen is to become President of his neighborhood’s HOA. He is not excited to learn that obnoxious Collins has come back to town and he is furious when she announces that she is running against him. Needless to say, the gloves come off!

Both Collins and Nate are ultra-competitive and it is hilarious watching the two of them go after this presidency so hard. There are endless over-the-top antics and shenanigans along the way, until they finally start to catch feelings for one another. Martin’s dialogue in these scenes is just so smart and fun, and I actually live in a neighborhood that has an HOA so I found the antics and the drama all the more relatable and entertaining.

If you’re looking for a romantic read that is pure fun from start to finish, be sure to check out Next-Door Nemesis.

4 1/2 stars

Friends to Enemies to Lovers! This book had all the best components to keep the reader entertained as you navigate Collins & Nathaniel’s ups and downs. I loved the competitiveness between the MCs and the spicy scenes definitely didn’t let me down. Alexa Martin has quickly become a go-to author for me as she writes likeable characters that the reader can relate to and storylines that are fun & entertaining. I would definitely be interested in hearing some stories about Collins’ friends!

Thank you Good Girls PR & NetGalley for the ARC for review!

Collins left smalltown Ohio to pursue her dreams of writing for television in Los Angeles. It wasn't until a tragically viral video left her tucking tail and heading back to her smalltown to regroup. Upon her return, she finds out that her former best friend, Nate, now mortal enemy, lives in their neighborhood and is less than thrilled to see her. Nate is using his role with the HOA to blackmail Collins into leaving the neighborhood and his position in the community.

This story is laugh out loud funny and the antics of Collins and Nate. I highly recommend for a laugh!

4.5 rounded to 5 out of 5 stars. This was my first book from Alexa Martin and I have no idea why I waited so long!

I received a free ARC from Berkley via NetGalley; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The MCs were really fun. I liked their dynamic and thought that the issues between them and how they played out had a fresh spin. I found the FMC particularly relatable as a midwestern woman who left her hometown as soon as she could and is now living in the Valley. And I also have a deep seated love of a chain restaurant.

The supporting characters were great. I loved her family and the various members of the community were wonderful. I loved that the neighborhood itself felt like a character. Not sure if this will continue into a series, but I would love to continue to read about this town and the people in it.

The book was light and easy to read. I had a hard time putting it down and finished it super quickly. I have not read any of the author's other books, but will definitely be checking them out!

Thanks to Alexa Martin and Good Girls PR for the chance to read this ARC!

I liked this book. I thought the characters were fun but I just wasn't in love with any of them. At some points I was really invested but it just didn't keep my attention. I LOVED her relationship with her two girl friends and I love how different they all were from eachother

Alexa Martin, welcome back! There is something about her writing that just grows with each book. Her wit; however, is always spot on. I cannot wait to see what she does next!

This was such a fun, hilarious read! I loved the endless banter between Collins and Nate! It was nice getting the whole backstory of both of them from their childhood and how their relationship had evolved over the years. I'm so glad they ended up together in the end and how Collins gets her dream in the end of becoming writer. Thank you so much Alexa Martin and Good Girls PR for the ARC!

**HUGE thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

My feelings for this one are absolutely mixed. While I loved the writing style and some of the humor within the book, I really struggled to find anything to like about Collins and Nate. They were just so incredibly mean to each other all the time…until they weren’t. I had a really hard time being halfway through the book, reading Nate’s revelation for why he acted the way he did, and then accepting that and moving on. It also didn’t seem like a good enough reason for Collins to forgive that easily either. Every action she took leading up to this revelation gave me no indication that she would forgive and then promptly never bring it up again. It was very jarring, and it absolutely took me out of the story for longer than I wanted.

What I truly loved about this book were the friendships Collins had with Ashleigh and Ruby. Both characters were minor in terms of plot, but they majorly contributed to my enjoyment. I would gladly read a book featuring either one as a main character in the future because they definitely left me wanting more of their stories after this book. I also really enjoyed the relationship Collins had with both of her parents.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The HOA competition was a super interesting and entertaining concept. The love interests just didn’t do it for me in this one.