The Cul-de-Sac War

Written by Melissa Ferguson

Narrated by Kate Rudd

In this charming rom-com, two enemies find something they never expected in one another—taking "all's fair in love and war" to a hilarious and heartwarming new level.

Actress Bree Leake doesn't want to be tied down, but just when it's time to move on again, Bree's parents make her an offer; hold steady in Abingdon for one full year, and they will give her the one thing she's always wanted—her grandmother's house. Her dreams are coming true . . . until life throws her some curve balls.

And then there's her new neighbor. Chip McBride.

For the first time in her life, she's met the person who could match her free-spirited air—and it's driving her to the ledge of sanity. She would move heaven and earth to have him out of her life, but according to the bargain she's struck, she cannot move out of her house and away from the man who's making her life miserable. So begins Bree's obsessive new mission: to drive Chip out of the neighborhood—and fast.

Bree isn't the only one who's a wee bit competitive, and as Chip registers what Bree's up to, he's more than willing to fight fire with fire. But as their pranks escalate, the line between love and hate starts to blur.

Good fences make good neighbors—and sometimes love and hate share a backyard.

• Sweet, stand-alone romantic comedy
• Book length: 77,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Nov 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9780785231066

Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, The Dating Charade, and The Cul-de-Sac War. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies that have been featured in such places as The Hollywood Reporter, Travel + Leisure, Woman’s World, and BuzzFeed. Follow Melissa with over 765,000 other subscribers at Instagram: @ourfriendlyfarmhouse; TikTok: @ourfriendlyfarmhouse; Threads: @ourfriendlyfarmhouse; or newsletter on her personal website: melissaferguson.com.

Reviews for The Cul-de-Sac War

[Brittany · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audio version of this story. The narrator did a very good job and I enjoyed her narration style. It was lively and entertaining.

It took me awhile to get into the plot of this book. The misunderstandings and pranks between Bree and Chip were definitely juvenile and that had me on edge for a bit. However, I lightened my grasp on reality and decided to just enjoy the silliness of it all and began to enjoy the story much more, including many moments where I laughed out loud.

The later portions of the book had some really good, heart-tugging scenes between the main characters, making them much more likable to me than earlier in the story. I especially liked the epilogue.

I couldn’t really find much of a faith thread in this book. Just a mention of characters going to church. I would, personally, call it a clean read. I could see this book being enjoyed by Christian fiction readers as well as by general market readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book. All opinions are my own.

[Andrea Author · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a well-written, funny book for readers who enjoy over-the-top physical humor and embarrassing situations. If you're looking for wit and light, good-natured comedy, this is not it. I think the hearts and flowers on the cover are being used ironically.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

[Amanda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Truly enjoyed this book!! Super cute and funny romcom with a hint of sadness. (Not too much) Can't wait to read other books by this author!

[Rachel Yoder · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

2 and a 1/2 stars. This is a decent book overall. It just may have come down to preference in what I like to read that lowered the score for me. I didn't think it had any major flaws in the plot, logic or interactions. The characters were likeable and their back and forth was kind of fun and cute. I just personally like a little more sexual tension, build-up and sometimes like a little more drama thrown in however, I really, really liked Meet Me in the Margins by this author so I thought to check out some of her other work. I could see many other readers liking this story very much! It just didn't fit some of my preferences.

[Melanie Sherrow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Laugh and laugh some more. I love all 3 books are so fun. It is real life and adventurous.

[bookanonjeff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Freaking Hilarious. For me, this book was the first in a while that had me literally laughing out loud and seemingly nearly literally laughing my tail off. And since it marked book 148 on the year (and thus somewhere north of 500 during the current US Presidency)... yeah, that's saying something. :D Probably not "Christian" enough for the "Christian Fiction" crowd, so attempting to market that direction is probably a misnomer. But for the "clean"/ "sweet" romance crowd, yeah, this will work. I could have done without a particular element of the epilogue. (Seriously, why do so many romances have to go *there*? I'd rather see explicit, hyper-kinky sex on page than *that*.) But beyond that particular quibble (which is probably about as common as my childfree married male in his late 30s status - which is, not very at all), this really was a fun book and a perfect rebound from the hyper-darkness of the book I read before it. Which also makes it a great rebound for whatever you may be feeling when this releases one week after the current US Presidential Election. And yes, that means this is an ARC read, with all that that entails. In the end, truly funny and fun, and very much recommended.

[amym3317 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5Bree Leake has always been one to go with the flow. She's held at least half a dozen jobs over the last few years, always happily moving along with they eventually don't work out. She's preparing to do the same thing when it comes down the grapevine that The Barter - the theatre company where she currently holds the role as a background fairy - is cutting back on company members for its Fall show. Except things have been different since her grandmother passed away a few months ago, and when Bree's parents offer her everything she's dreamed of - namely signing over her grandmother's house - Bree wants to make things work. Her parents have given her a year to keep her life and living situation steady. Now, Bree is focused on nothing except acing the upcoming audition. That is, until a new neighbor moves next door.Chip McBride has finally moved out of his family's shadow by opening his own construction business much to the chagrin of his father and siblings. He's determined to make his business a success and opportunity strikes when word of The Barter renovation gets around. Chip knows it's the perfect project to gain some good attention for his new business. He'll have to dedicate long hours to working up the perfect bid, that is, if he can work around the sounds of tap dancing coming from the neighbors next door.The blurb really drew me into the story. I liked the idea of these rival neighbors starting out with animosity and and the hijinks that ensue with they keep trying to one-up each other again and again. It made for some pretty laugh-out-loud moments. And I liked how this slowly progresses into something more between Chip and Bree even when they're not ready to admit it yet.In this regard I felt like the narrator, Kate Rudd, did a great job of pushing that emotion into each character's narration. She did a great job of highlighting the funny parts but really bringing out the heart when the scene called for it. It's a roundabout great narration.But as I look back upon the book for review, I kind of don't really remember what the end goal of it all was. I think it's because there was too much separation between Bree's goal and Chip's goal. While they do intersect - both dealing in with The Barter - they are very singular. Then you add the neighborly war on top of it all, and I just feel like there was enough cohesion between the two. Now, if Bree and Chip were fighting for the same job, say, and they happened to also be neighbors and this prompted the titular Cul-de-Sac War, I think it would have melded together better.As it stands, while I enjoyed the story and the characters, as I think upon them more, I don't really feel the turnaround for Bree. I feel like the transition from being a go-with-the-flow to a steadfast type of person just didn't come across very well. Yes, I understand her motivation, but it's almost like she turns on a dime from not really caring if she has to get a new job (even though she's currently living in her grandmother's house so she should care) to suddenly being dedicated to keeping her job. I think it doesn't help the fact that I never felt as though she actually liked her job at all. It would be different if I felt like it was her dream job, but she's kind of meh about the whole thing which gets me to thinking about the person whose dream it is to be apart of The Barter and who might possibly lose out if Bree gets the job.On the other side of that you have Chip whose dedication and love for his job is palpable throughout. Who is trying to branch out despite how easy it would ultimately have been had he stayed at his family's company. I almost felt like the stakes were higher in Chip's case seeing as how he was literally going up against his father for The Barter job.Overall, it's a quick, light, fun, and often funny read. Despite not feeling the depth of Bree's commitment to what she wants out of life, I was definitely kept entertained and interested throughout.

[melissa_o-399736 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read The Dating Charade, the debut novel by this author, earlier this year and I loved it. I knew the Cul-de-Sac war was a must read of 2020 for me and I was not disappointed. This story follows Bree, the best friend of the main character from The Dating Charade. Bree has moved and is working at a theater in Abingdon, VA while living in her grandmother's house who recently passed away. The fun begins when Chip moves in next door in order to renovate it. Saying they don't exactly hit it off might be putting it mildly. Let the prank wars begin!! Some readers might feel like some of the pranks got a bit extreme, but as a reader I got lost in the story and the pranks kept me in stitches. The romance is a bit light in this book, but is the appropriate level due to the development of the relationship between Bree and Chip. One thing I really appreciate about this author is her ability to write banter and antics that make me laugh out loud while also delving into heavy issues such as sickness, loss, grief, job uncertainties, and family expectations. I am looking forward to many more books by this author in the future!I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[tamidale · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Readers looking for a fun and lighthearted romantic comedy will certainly want to read this latest from Melissa Ferguson. This is one romance that will have you laughing throughout the book.The story centers on Bree and Chip, who have a pleasant first meeting that seems as if it will be one of those instances where people meet and never cross paths again. As luck would have it, Bree and Chip meet again under some not so pleasant circumstances when they discover that he has bought the house next door to Bree’s and has plans for a renovation.To add to their issues is Chip’s dog Russell. Russell is a large mastiff that has taken a liking to Bree and loves to show her some slobbery love, along with a few unexpected tackles to the ground.I’ll admit, this story was highly predictable, but it was lots of fun following the relationship and the pranks the characters pulled on each other. I highly recommend this to readers who need a fun rom-com to lighten things up in their life.Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for allowing to read an advance copy and give an honest review.