Double Dare by R.L. Mathewson

Goodness gracious golly monkeys how I love this series. For all of you out there who are contemplating giving the romance genre a try, I would recommend starting with the Neighbor From Hell series. Each one is funny, sexy, and has a male lead that I want to lock myself away with in a bedroom for at least 2 days.

What’s it About? 

Marybeth still couldn’t believe that she’d survived this long with a friend like Darrin, but somehow she’d managed to beat the odds and not give in to temptation and smother him with a pillow while he slept. Of course some days were more difficult than others…For twenty years he’s been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to make his move and now that it was here…He couldn’t seem to stop screwing up.

First Impressions

For a Neighbor From Hell book, this one definitely breaks the mold when compared to the other books in the series. Firstly, although it definitely has its funny moments which will make you laugh out loud, it’s probably the novel which has dealt with the most serious subject matter so far. Marybeth is unable to have children, and rather than have Darrin look at her as less of a woman, she tells him that she simply doesn’t want children.

Another big difference was in the progression of their relationship, in that they didn’t really have that initial phase of annoyance and hatred which was present in every other book. Instead, they were best friends since childhood. They still certainly had their moments where they pushed each others buttons, especially when it came to double daring each other to do crazy things. I must say though, I was shocked that throughout the entire book we were never witness to a triple dog dare.

Not So Secret After All

Marybeth and Darrin have been best friends forever, but for the last 6 years they’ve been keeping their romantic relationship “secret” from their family. That being said, they haven’t done a very good job at the whole “keeping it a secret” plan considering that practically everyone has walked in on them doing the vertical mambo up against a wall. Marybeth has been hesitant to make their relationship known because deep down she feels Darrin deserves someone better; someone who can actually give him children. Poor chica.

Overall I really enjoyed the story line, and their double dares provided several scenes of hilarity. However, I was rather disappointed that we never got to see that moment when they transition from being friends to lovers. That is always my favorite part of any romance novel between friends! I was cheated out of my moment! The prologue does offer a brief glimpse of the progression from friendship to something more, but basically they were friends in one scene, and then they flash forward a few years to Darrin rubbing up on Marybeth’s behind in bed. Oh my!

Series: Neighbor From Hell, book 6. The next one comes out in 2016! Is it 2016 yet?

Should you read it? You should read the rest of the series first, mainly because each book is a hoot, but also because you meet a lot of the characters from the previous novels in this one. It was sad to read about how Marybeth thought she was less of a woman because she couldn’t have children, but you’ve gotta love how Darrin tries to prove that she’s still all woman.

Smut Level: At one point there is a bet between the two over who can hold out the longest from having sex. If he wins, they get married. If she wins, he’ll never mention marriage again. This bet may have prevented them from actually having sex for a while, but there are some hilarious scenes of teasing and a tortured denial of gratification.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Rerum Industries, Inc. 305 Pages.