It was a fun light read. The characters were well written and the storyline was great. At the beginning I found it quite slow but after a few chapters I really enjoyed it. I laughed aloud a few times too which is always good.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This was cute! Serena is kicked out of her flat and her friend offers her to house sit while she and her husband are away. He asked his friend, Ziggy at the same time and now they are forced to live together.

This was a fun and easy read! I finished it in a day! It also had some of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers and forced proximity! I didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between the main characters. I wish they would’ve gone deeper into their relationship. I also would’ve loved more about Serena’s new business.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this book!


📘: Your Place Or Mine? by Portia MacIntosh
🗓 Pub Date: January 17, 2023

Thank to NetGalley, Portia MacIntosh, and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

DNF @ 38%

The synopsis of this book sounds so good but it’s just boring so far.

To start off, the heroine is already in a relationship with someone else and by 38%, she’s STILL in a relationship but not just that, she found out he has a fiancé and she hasn’t dumped him yet and he’s not even the love interest in this book? What?!

No thank you, not for me.

Personally, I just don’t enjoy romance books that start off with one of the main characters already in a relationship with someone else.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Portia MacIntosh and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first book by Portia MacIntosh and I am not disappointed. If all her books are in the same tone, I can see why she is a popular author.

Your place or mine? is a pretty good romantic comedy read and just what I needed to get me back into reading. There are several short stories in one, with some plot twists I didn't see coming.

I admit I had a hard time putting myself in the shoes of the characters, especially Serena, because her actions didn't always match what I would have done in her place (meaning her crisis management and the situation with the lovely Dean). I also had trouble with Ziggy who, despite a very attractive appearance (which is not always enough), seemed somewhat childish and not at all in tune with himself. Maybe it's because we didn't see him that much in the end. On the other hand, hats off to Al who I loved. I got attached to him right away, he made me laugh.

The story was entertaining, I wanted to know what was going to happen and what wacky things I was going to read.
One aspect I would have liked to see more developed : the new business. I think it could have been exploited a little more. It's a romantic comedy for adults, but in the end, it was perhaps too soft on this aspect. I think that more banter and jokes would have been nice.

Portia MacIntosh is the liberal best. I sincerely have never enjoyed an author of books more than I do hers. They are insta feel good books. I really don’t know how she manages to put so many books out and yet the quality never lacks. I loved the character of Serena. I could relate to her so much. Enter Ziggy her polar opposite who lands up becoming her unexpected roomate. Hilarity ensues as they both try to survive under the same roof and may even begun to like it and each other. Thank you Boldwood! I never take for granted the chance to review one of your awesome books.
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Pre-order the BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from bestseller Portia MacIntosh!
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...

Don't miss bestseller Portia MacIntosh's brand new laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Your Place or Mine by Portia Macintosh reads a little like a young single's blog detailing her misadventures in romance, work and life. The premise is there for a romantic comedy: Two singles who initially can't stand each other wind up living together... and we know how romantic comedies go. But the author doesn't stop there, as she explores several other dramatic and funny(?) events in our leading female's life throughout the novel. A lot of opportunities for a reader to get engaged, but overall this book fell flat for me. The storylines and writing style seemed unorganized and the author often came across as trying too hard to be funny. I struggled to relate to the characters and their actions, and I didn't quite myself laughing out loud as the description promised.

Portia has done it again. I loved the characters and the plot of the story, I will definitely be reading more from this author.

2.5/5 Stars

This book was a fun read. But that was all it was. I did not find any chemistry between the main characters. It felt more like I was reading a screenplay. And the rest of the book after about 100 pages I just skimmed it. I’ve read a couple of Portia MacIntosh’s books and find her books to be fun, easy reads. The storyline had quite a lot going on and felt a little confused at times.

But I will say Serena and Ziggy were both such great characters to read about. They were both so well developed, and had good character developments.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Serena is forced out of her home and needs to find a new place to stay. Fortunately, her friends have a home that she can help house sit. The problem is that her friend’s husband already offered the place to his friend Ziggy. Since both of them need a place to stay, they end up being roommates. However, they aren’t playing nice- each one tries to get the other to move out.

This was such a fun, light, and easy to devour rom com! It features some great tropes such as forced proximity and enemies to lovers. Their prank wars were cute and funny, and I found myself laughing throughout the book. I enjoyed some of the side characters as well. The build up to their romance was a bit rushed and I would have enjoyed more tension and even more pranking. However, it was a really enjoyable romcom that I’d recommend!

Thank you to Portia MacIntosh, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a five-star read that you would happily share. Ziggy was someone who at first just grated, but then when you got to hear the real him, then he started to make sense to me, and I understood him and how he was. Serena was so beaten down, that I think it took someone like Ziggy to show her how to live in the moment. I was so blown away by Diana, even though she isn’t in the story she is such a strong character that she will warm even the coldest of hearts, I especially love her idea of the Little Love letter box, they are something that every town needs. This is a great story of finding yourself as well as love. I don’t know how I missed this author, I will certainly be looking out for them again, as the style is just something everyone needs in their lives.

Portia Macintosh really is the Queen of chick lit at the moment and this book allows her to keep her crown intact that’s for sure. Who doesn’t like a love story involving cake?!

I read this so quickly - it was a joy to read! It was an enemies to lovers rom com, without the usual angst that can be quite tedious. The MCs seemed perfect for each other ❤️

The concept of ‘Your Place of Mine?’was good and the pace flowed well. I’m just not sure how much it captured me. Ziggy and Serena were so frustrated with each other at the start of their house share that it felt a bit unrealistic when they did start to show their feelings for each other. I’d would have loved a bit more focus on their blossoming relationship.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. What a gorgeous book! The author has a great gift for characterisation - nuanced, interesting, believable people but created with a charming lightness of touch. Thanks to a great author we have warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

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

— 𝖯𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖺 𝖬𝖺𝖼𝖨𝗇𝗍𝗈𝗌𝗁 (𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲?)

Your Place or Mine was easy to finish in one sitting. Ziggy and Serena are relatable characters. They had flaws, ran into problems, and lacked a sense of direction. Since Ziggy is only ever seen from Serena's point of view, I personally like how terrible that makes him seem because it lets me get completely lost in her head. The banter and mutual sabotage in an effort to get one of them to leave were priceless. I also loved the characters' development even though it wasn't described in great detail. I'll be honest; before I even started reading this, I was skeptical that it would be similar to many other books I've already had in the past. The two most well-known ones were Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating and The American Roommate Experiment. But it wasn't until I finished reading Make or Break at the Lighthouse B&B and Stuck on You that I realised how much I liked that Portia Macintosh deviated from creating stereotypical characters, which I often read about. This book has a quality that prevents you from feeling as though it has been overused, which I truly enjoy. Anyhow, the only aspect of this book that I couldn't stand was Dean.

If you enjoy Close Proximity and Enemies to Lovers, this is an excellent read to start the year. The book will be available on January 17, 2023 consider adding it to your list of must-reads!
 
Thank you to Portia Macintosh, Bolwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

Of course I loved it!

Was there ever any other possible outcome when reading one of Portia Macintoshes books? Absolutely not.

The cover is great, bright and catchy.

The book itself ticks all the boxes - rom, com, happy ending, quirky guy, quirky gal, asshole guy etc. A nice enemies to lovers feel good read.

Not so many links to the other books in Portia’s world this time - I spotted one reference to Matcher, but no others. I do so enjoy them!

I found the whole Dirty Di’s thing highly amusing - I would have loved a bit more of this, but then it possible would have crossed a line with some readers if it went too far. Personally, I would love to see a spin off with Jen who works in Dirty Di’s. There is some scope for some amusing content and back story with the juggling of the two shops.

Always a five star.

[4.25⭐️]
This book was so much fun!
Already from the plot the book had win me over, and now after finishing it I can say that it exceed my expectations!
One thing I loved is our leading man, to start he gets extra points just for the name alone, I mean… his name is Ziggy (as in David Bowie’s Ziggy)! Plus he has dark hair, piercings, tattoos and he’s in a band… so he checks all the boxes haha
The tension and the chemistry between our main characters were just on another level, and they made the book so so funny that in some moments I laughed out loud.
One thing, though, I would have preferred to be different was their “house war”, I would have liked it to last a little longer also because the last 25% of the book seemed to me a bit fast; this however didn't make me appreciate the story of Serena and Ziggy any less.
This was my first book from Portia MacIntosh, but it was so much fun to read to that it will certainly not be the last.
Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, quick and entertaining read. I enjoyed it. Didn’t really love it. I don’t think I’ll ever re-read this but it was good. I liked the chemistry between the two mains and laughed at a few spots in here. It was a good rom com. Was it rememberable? I’m not sure just yet.

Serena is so blessed. She has a job she loves, a hot boyfriend and a wonderful, loving mother figure who lets her live rent free in an apartment above work. But now Serena’s luck seems to have run out.

This was a quick, fun read for me. I loved the instant rivalry between Serena and Ziggy, despite their obvious chemistry. I liked it even better when they turned their diabolical skills toward helping each other. I laughed out loud when I read about her inheritance. Super cute - 3.5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Serena is having a bad few days after her boss and surrogate mother Diana dies unexpectedly leaving her out of a job, a free-flat to live in, but Diana does leave Serena an adult entertainment store that no one knew about. To top it off, Serena's pretty much broke, her boyfriend doesn't offer to let Serena crash at his place for a few days, and when her old friend Taylor offers her a house-sitting job that she readily accepts, she soon finds out that Taylor's husband, Tim, offered his musician friend Ziggy the same sweet deal. How do they resolve this little mix-up? Serena and Ziggy agree to live together and the antics ensue.

This is a fun read with a full, quirky cast of characters. There is constant conflict, which I always love in a story, so even when something goes right for Serena, many other things go wrong.

All that said, I didn't love the book. Everything is there to make this book absolutely shine, but I almost feel that it stays too surface level, never delving deep enough in any of the plot points for them to truly sing. As much of a critique that is, it's actually a compliment that I wanted the author to push the story further, give me a little bit more, to round everything out.