The Troublemaker Next Door

April 7, 2014
In this glaringly obvious setup for a series, Harte (Willa’s Wish) introduces Abby, Maggie, and Vanessa—three gorgeous, clever, and spunky young women whose personalities are almost interchangeable, right down to their mild insecurities about their perfect good looks. They’ve just moved in next to the three McCauley brothers, whose stereotypical macho behavior and “disheveled Adonis” looks make them just as monotonous. Each of the ladies has a personality quirk (one is bad at serious relationships, another is secretly sappy, another is bookish) that matches up perfectly to same personality quirk of one of the studs next door. First up is Maddie and Flynn, neither of whom has had any success finding a stable and meaningful relationship. The two of them are overwhelmed by their unbridled lust-at-first-sight, and the only barrier to achieving a romantic relationship seems to be a simple conversation. But with each character making assumptions, playing games, and inflicting petty revenges, the novel is an infuriatingly puerile slog.

May 15, 2014
It's officialMaddie Gardner hates men. Right after she makes this declaration, she meets Flynn McCauley, the sexy-as-hell plumber who shows up to fix her sink. Flynn can't believe his luckthree beautiful women just moved in to his parents' rental property, and he can't resist going to check them out. Flynn is floored by Maddie, the raging, sultry redhead who storms into the house swearing off men. He takes that as a challenge. Maddie and Flynn are immediately drawn to each other. Despite both wanting to keep it casual, they find themselves making excuses to see each other. What starts as a strictly physical relationship soon turns into something more, but both Maddie and Flynn keep denying their true feelings. This is the first in Harte's McCauley Brothers series, and it's a winner. Readers will find plenty of secondary characters to keep track of, each unique and likable, while the story is fast-paced, with countless spicy scenes that will make readers hungry for the next installment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)