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Neighbourly
Isla doesn't want a boyfriend.
She’s almost 30 and her last breakup took a lot out of her. She’ll just keep working at a fancy pizza restaurant with her friend Claire, and selling clay sculptures on Etsy. But there’s a big romance movie being filmed in her town, and Logan Jackson, star of the popular TV show Neighbourly, is in it. And Isla gets a job bringing pizza to the set!
Claire listens in fascination as Isla tells her about her experience dealing with Logan Jackson, but Isla’s mortified. She can’t seem to form proper sentences around him, or even keep food in her mouth while in his presence. What’s even worse, is they keep running into each other outside of the movie set, and Isla suddenly forgets how to act like a human being every time. Logan doesn’t notice anything strange though, and they start to form a friendship. A friendship that everyone in town sees as something more.
When Logan asks Isla to keep up the charade for the media, she agrees to play along on the grounds that they don’t kiss or touch each other’s butts. Because like Isla said, she doesn’t want a boyfriend.
Not even if it’s Logan Jackson.
Of course she doesn’t...
She’s almost 30 and her last breakup took a lot out of her. She’ll just keep working at a fancy pizza restaurant with her friend Claire, and selling clay sculptures on Etsy. But there’s a big romance movie being filmed in her town, and Logan Jackson, star of the popular TV show Neighbourly, is in it. And Isla gets a job bringing pizza to the set!
Claire listens in fascination as Isla tells her about her experience dealing with Logan Jackson, but Isla’s mortified. She can’t seem to form proper sentences around him, or even keep food in her mouth while in his presence. What’s even worse, is they keep running into each other outside of the movie set, and Isla suddenly forgets how to act like a human being every time. Logan doesn’t notice anything strange though, and they start to form a friendship. A friendship that everyone in town sees as something more.
When Logan asks Isla to keep up the charade for the media, she agrees to play along on the grounds that they don’t kiss or touch each other’s butts. Because like Isla said, she doesn’t want a boyfriend.
Not even if it’s Logan Jackson.
Of course she doesn’t...
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2022
5 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Nat Cuddington
14 books154 followersHey, it's Nat. I work in a Brewery so that means I'm cool ;)
When I'm not dealing with chronic pain, I like to workout and go jogging or rollerblading.
If I'm not escaping into a book that I'm reading or writing, you can probably find me wandering around Hyrule on my Nintendo Switch.
When I'm not dealing with chronic pain, I like to workout and go jogging or rollerblading.
If I'm not escaping into a book that I'm reading or writing, you can probably find me wandering around Hyrule on my Nintendo Switch.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 28, 2023
This book was such a joy and a welcome drink of romantic water in the friggin desert of the books I’ve read this year so far. Isla is such an awkward, relatable character that you instantly can put yourself in her shoes- especially when she’s delivering pizza from her workplace to the cast of the huge hit show, Neighbourly, and being super embarrassing around the super cute actor Logan. But Logan doesn’t seem to mind awkward, and after “accidentally” bumping into her (at the pizza place where she works….like 3 times…..), they strike up a friendship that leads to fake dating to satisfy the media who has gotten wind of their time together. Very quickly their situation turns to a very real friendship and, eventually, into something more.
Isla is demisexual, which actually helps them get to know each other on an emotional level even better, as there aren’t nearly as many long, lingering moments of sexual tension. Instead, we get lots of conversations where they get to know and understand each other better, and support one another as friends. Watching their friendship turn into something more was so satisfying, especially as it’s not full of unnecessary drama and 3rd act miscommunication breakups (there’s miscommunication, don’t get me wrong, but not on the same level as most others) and you’re able to just truly enjoy their relationship progression and subsequent character growth.
I fell in love with both of these dummies even as they pretended they were just friends and I was yelling at them for being dummies, and Nat Cuddington deserves a lot more attention than she’s getting for this gem.
Isla is demisexual, which actually helps them get to know each other on an emotional level even better, as there aren’t nearly as many long, lingering moments of sexual tension. Instead, we get lots of conversations where they get to know and understand each other better, and support one another as friends. Watching their friendship turn into something more was so satisfying, especially as it’s not full of unnecessary drama and 3rd act miscommunication breakups (there’s miscommunication, don’t get me wrong, but not on the same level as most others) and you’re able to just truly enjoy their relationship progression and subsequent character growth.
I fell in love with both of these dummies even as they pretended they were just friends and I was yelling at them for being dummies, and Nat Cuddington deserves a lot more attention than she’s getting for this gem.
August 9, 2022
This was super cute! I was having such a good time reading it that I “accidentally” read it all in one sitting 😀
May 30, 2022
Do people still rate their own books? Anyway this is obviously biased, but if I can't love my own book, how can I expect other people to?
I hope you all enjoy it!
I hope you all enjoy it!
July 11, 2022
I really liked it , it was cute, it was cringy, it was funny .🥰
August 12, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! Fake dating is always a great trope in my book, and I really felt like the author did a great job executing it with all the different complications the story gave. The character growth was realistic, and the ending was super satisfying. I was grinning the whole way through the last few chapters. Definitely recommend!
December 11, 2022
You know when you have just had a long rough day and you finally get home, you want comfort. Something relaxing and familiar. Yet not necessarily something totally routine. Part of you could really use a laugh, part of you wants to cry. Let me tell you Neighbourly is what you want to read. Loved every page of this one.
August 19, 2023
Adorable and Relatable
Any author would be proud of this book. It is cute and emotionally tense in a happy way… but it also addresses anxiety and fear associated with relationships with a realism that lends the story credibility. The characters are well developed and very relatable… and of course it has a happy ending that is delightful.
Any author would be proud of this book. It is cute and emotionally tense in a happy way… but it also addresses anxiety and fear associated with relationships with a realism that lends the story credibility. The characters are well developed and very relatable… and of course it has a happy ending that is delightful.
May 20, 2025
Amazing rom-com story
Nat has such a way of writing that is easy to read. I love the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and the variety of people. It is also great that she ties in her other books into the story and it all feels like one big universe. LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I finished it in less than a day.
Nat has such a way of writing that is easy to read. I love the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and the variety of people. It is also great that she ties in her other books into the story and it all feels like one big universe. LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I finished it in less than a day.
July 2, 2022
I love this book! It hits very close to home and has many elements that a reader can connect with (even if you've never made an arrangement with your celeb crush to pretend date each other). Funny, emotional, and relatable. Well done!!
January 7, 2023
Fabulous
I loved this story. I really relate to Isla and how she thinks.
I found the author on Tiktok and bought this book because I enjoy her stories there. I can't wait to read more.
I loved this story. I really relate to Isla and how she thinks.
I found the author on Tiktok and bought this book because I enjoy her stories there. I can't wait to read more.
November 26, 2022
Loved this book, such a great rom com read that had me laughing out loud and just adoring every moment of the book! Relatable characters, fake dating, and written beautifully! Highly recommend
December 8, 2022
Loved this swoony book! It was a fake dating to catching feelings! Was fantastic!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2023
CUTE🥰🥰
June 1, 2022
This is an adorable read. I fell in love with the characters, and I love a good fake dating trope.
I stumbled upon this by accident after supporting some other kickstarters, and I'm so glad I did. :)
I would happily read more books in the same universe as this one, if the author ever decides to continue writing in this genre.
I stumbled upon this by accident after supporting some other kickstarters, and I'm so glad I did. :)
I would happily read more books in the same universe as this one, if the author ever decides to continue writing in this genre.
December 25, 2023
What a nice surprise!
Things I absolutely adored:
1. The Wattpat-like storyline but without any red flags
2. The green flags on the contrary (taking into account Isla's demisexuality, Logan's anxiety to some extent, the supportive best friend, not over-sexualizing anyone, the previous breakup (especially development), and much more)
3. The Office references – my favorite TV show ever!! I smiled from ear to ear whenever the show came on
4. Normalize having doubts, worries, and insecurities about your job and taking risks
Things I did not like/missed:
1. The mentions of actual real life actors (this kind of makes the fictional story too real and made me a little uncomfortable thinking about whether they would read this (which they probably won't but still))
2. Lack of steaminess - do not get me wrong, I absolutely loved the demisexuality storyline and taking it slow - the almost kissing!!! - but I was expecting there to be a bit more steam in the final scenes to round it all off perfectly!
Would definitely recommend!
Things I absolutely adored:
1. The Wattpat-like storyline but without any red flags
2. The green flags on the contrary (taking into account Isla's demisexuality, Logan's anxiety to some extent, the supportive best friend, not over-sexualizing anyone, the previous breakup (especially development), and much more)
3. The Office references – my favorite TV show ever!! I smiled from ear to ear whenever the show came on
4. Normalize having doubts, worries, and insecurities about your job and taking risks
Things I did not like/missed:
1. The mentions of actual real life actors (this kind of makes the fictional story too real and made me a little uncomfortable thinking about whether they would read this (which they probably won't but still))
2. Lack of steaminess - do not get me wrong, I absolutely loved the demisexuality storyline and taking it slow - the almost kissing!!! - but I was expecting there to be a bit more steam in the final scenes to round it all off perfectly!
Would definitely recommend!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews