Housemates that don’t get along…

Synopsis

Two reluctant housemates. One question: Is this your place or mine…?

When Serena is kicked out of her flat, an offer from her friend, Taylor, to house sit for her while she and her husband go travelling could not be better timing. But unfortunately for Serena she’s not the only one to have received this offer…

Enter Ziggy: arrogant, messy (and annoyingly handsome) musician, and friend of Taylor’s husband. Living with him is far from ideal, especially when he claims the best room, has loud parties – and the least said about his kitchen manner the better…

There’s just one solution for Serena – drive him out of the house by being twice as difficult to live with than he is! But Ziggy knows Serena’s game and as war ensues between them, being forced together under one roof may result in some unexpected consequences…

My review

Serena is shocked when she is suddenly kicked out of her flat. With having literally no place to stay, she counts herself lucky when her friend Taylor tells Serena that she and her husband go travelling and need someone to house sit their home.
If only Taylor’s husband didn’t make the offer to his friend Ziggy…
Now Serena and Ziggy are house sitting together, but things aren’t as great as they seem. Especially as Ziggy has claimed the bigger and better room, has loud parties and isn’t keen on cleaning.
But Serena has a plan, driving Ziggy crazy and out of the house by being more annoying than him. But Ziggy won’t let him chase away that easily and a war between housemates starts.
And between Serena discovering a despicable truth about her boyfriend, and being flabbergasted by the unknown side of her boss, she also may see that living together with Ziggy may take an unexpected turn. 

I just have to start by saying how much I laughed while reading this marvellous story by an author I know that is just amazing!
Having read several of her books, I wouldn’t think she would be able to surprise me anymore, but she did it again.  

Getting to know Serena was giving me opposite feelings. Not because she isn’t a likeable person, but just because what she has been through in the past and what she has recently endured. And that made me feel so sad for her, because it’s easy to see how lovable she actually really is. And seeing her without a home after the shocking passing of her boss Diana, felt unjust… Serena deserved to be in her happy place, in her flat and working at the lovely tea room.
And for sure she deserves a better boyfriend! 

So while all the above made me pity her, I also admired her. Because she is adamant on doing the right thing whatever concerns the boyfriend, but also how she won’t let walk over her by Diana’s selfish, spoilt, horrible children, was very admirable.
And reading how she starts plotting on chasing Ziggy away, well, that for sure put a smile on my face! 

And talking about smiles on my face… I was certainly glad that at certain passages I wasn’t in a public space, because people wouldn’t understand why I would be laughing out loud! I never saw it coming what Diana left Serena! And while Serena was discovering that place, well, it almost gave me red cheeks too! It only shows that we don’t always know someone completely! What a wonderful, delightful twist this was! Well done Portia! 😊 

I have to say, if I were living with Ziggy, I would be terribly annoyed too with him! His behaviour initially was so frustrating, I would have slapped him with great joy!
But the more time Serena spent with him, the more we saw the real Ziggy emerge. And the real Ziggy is kind, generous, and just a great friend. 

This story was a delight to read, it was easily written, filled with many funny moments, and while the characters were frustrated, I found myself laughing out loud.
Portia MacIntosh had the difficult task to fulfil my extreme high expectations, but with this funny, with unexpected twists, lovable main characters and amazing side character, she even exceeded those expectations! Although now the expectations will only be even more higher, so don’t start letting me down now! 😊