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.