The plot for Portia MacIntosh’s Your Place or Mine? is not exactly original…in fact I think I read at least three or four books with similar plot lines last year. Does that bother me? Not in the least. Why? Because it’s a trope that almost always makes for a fun story. What’s the trope? Forced proximity/odd couple roommates. Things aren’t going great for Serena, when she suddenly finds herself unemployed and homeless, her friend Taylor offers to let her stay at her place and house sit while she and her husband are off traveling. Sounds like the perfect solution, right? And it would be except for the fact that Taylor’s husband has made a similar offer to his friend Ziggy. The two are quite different and it’s hard to see them ever living harmoniously. So what are they to do? Why try to be as irritating as possible in an attempt to drive the other out of the house of course. Pretty sure, you can see where this is going, right? And since this is a rom-com, I’m pretty sure you can guess where things end up. The story is a lot of fun, and I definitely had a smile on my face for much of it. While I can’t say this was my favorite book by Portia MacIntosh—something about the pacing felt a little off at times—I can still easily say that overall I definitely had a good time with it and will be looking forward to her next book. I’d like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Your Place or Mine?

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3KH3PRU1GSXO3/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I love @portiamacintoshauthor yet it's been a while since I've read one of her books! (I've been a super slow reader the last half of this year, so it was lovely to pick up #YourPlaceOrMine & get stuck in! 👍
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⭐️ Fun characters with cool quirks and personalities.
⭐️ Laugh out loud moments and also 'nice one' moments: see 'The Heist.'
⭐️ Feel good, flirty and funny - I know I said that twice but this is Portia we're talking about!
⭐️ An enjoyable read that's heartwarming & endearing! I loved the story & how it all came together at the end! ❤️
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Highly recommend this & others by @portiamacintoshauthor!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for my ARC of this book!

This story follows Serena, who has just lost her job and her apartment. She was living above the café she worked at, rent free, for a very nice woman named Diana. Diana passed away, and her kids decided they didn't want to keep the business or let Serena stay in the apartment. Serena's luck soon turns around when she is offered a place to stay while her friend Taylor and her husband are away. The only problem... Ziggy. Ziggy is arrogant, messy musician, and friend of Taylor’s husband. Living with him is not ideal and soon war ensues between them trying to drive each other our of the house.

I loved this one! I felt like although it is definitely a rom-com, it wasn't super cheesy. The plot was unique and fun, but still had a lot of story lines that kept me hooked. Serena and Ziggy are total opposites but it made it all the more fun!

This one came out Jan 17 - just in time for a rom-com read for valentines! I highly recommend this one to my rom-com fans.

Serena has worked as a baker at Diana’s Tearoom for a year now. When her mother passed away, Diana gave her a job and also allowed her to live in the flat above the tearoom. Diana was loved by her employees as she always thought of them as her family. So, when she dies, everyone is shocked and saddened.

Diana had a son, Andrew, and a daughter, Agatha. Unfortunately, the family money made them into lazy and entitled people not wanting to work. With Diana gone, they now plan to sell the tearoom which surprises Diana’s employees.

Out of work and with no place to live, Serena is relieved when her friend, Taylor offers for her to stay at their home while they go on a long deserved trip. When she arrives at Taylor’s, she learns that Taylor’s husband also offered a housesit to his friend, Ziggy. So, both can stay but Ziggy ends up with the newly remodeled bedroom and bath and she’s stuck with the old bedroom that has yet to be remodeled.

There are some good things about this book that centered around Diana. The rest was silly. Serena is 30-years-old but acts like an immature girl. Why she didn’t out Dean is strange. Truth or Dare? At age 30, I would think that silly game would have been left behind years ago. Not a good read as the characters were not solid people but rather flighty.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.75⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, down on your luck, close proximity, roommates to lovers, enemies to lovers, musician, unknown cheating, no steamage

Serena & Ziggy
Serena has lost her job at Diana's (a tea room), and her apartment in quick succession when her boss/friend, Diana, passes away. It just so happens that her friend, Taylor, is looking for someone to house sit for a few weeks. Perfect!...or not, since Taylor's husband, Tim, has asked his mate, Ziggy, to house sit too.

They agree they can make it work and live together, but right off the bat they don't get along so well and begin to frustrate each other. When a prank goes too far they put their differences aside and work together to fix their mistake. Eventually their hate for each other grows into more.

I wish we had more time with Diana. She seemed like a great person that her two selfish money grubbing children neglected and didn't deserve. No wonder she left her pride and joy business, Dirty Di's, to Serena. I would have liked more emphasis on the business part of the story.

The whole cheating plot went on a bit longer than I would have liked. Speaking up would've been a lot easier than what Serena did to get him caught.

Side character Al was great and I love that he found a love interest ~ I wouldn't mind a book about him, but only if he wears his plastic thong.

Overall, a quick and easy read.

I am such a huge fan of Portia MacIntosh, having already read and loved Just Date and See, The Meet Cute Method, Will They, Won’t They, Life’s a Beach and Stuck On You, I already knew I would love Your Place or Mine, and I wasn’t wrong!

The story follows the main character, Serena, whose life gets tipped upside down, when her boss passes away, and her family decides to sell the business – meaning that not only does Serena not have a job, but because she lived above the adorable team rooms where she worked, Serena now also doesn’t have anywhere to live. Her oldest friend, Taylor, comes to the rescue with a plan for Serena to move into her house, whilst she goes traveling with her husband – the very small problem with that is unbeknown to Taylor, her husband has also asked a friend of his to house-sit whilst they are away. Cue the handsome, but very annoying Ziggy!

As living together becomes more and more frustrating, Serena comes up with a plan to drive Ziggy out of the house. But is that what she really wants?

Your Place or Mine is another fun story from the brilliant Portia MacIntosh. The characters of Serena and Ziggy are so much fun, and so loveable that you just can’t help becoming invested in their journey throughout the book. Another brilliant book to add to your TBR pile for 2023!

An enjoyable rom com that had me wanting to keep turning the pages.

I found myself smiling and laughing and enjoying every page of this one. Down on her luck, Serena is looking for somewhere to stay until she gets on her feet. When a friend of her offers her house to her while she and her husband travel, Serena thinks this is the perfect opportunity for her. And then she meets Ziggy, who just so happens to also be staying in the house while they’re gone. Things get pretty complicated for so many reasons, but by the end, my heart was melting. This book is perfect for someone looking for a light read with an enemies-to-lovers trope.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Portia MacIntosh for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 10-20 % or something.

I like the blurb of the book but apparently, it does not match the actual book.
So far I've been reading about Serena's boss's funeral and how she's moving with her boyfriend.
There was something about this book that didn't feel right for me so I went to check on reviews.
That's when I realized that there is cheating in the future by Serena's boyfriend included and that she didn't leave. She is also in a relationship with him for at least half of the book and I was bummed. So I stopped reading it because this is not something I would enjoy reading and I didn't want to continue reading it if she's not even meeting the main hero for half of the book.

I was looking forward to reading this book because of the blurb and because it reminded me of What Happens in Vegas movie with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher which is one of my absolute favourite movies but alas, this book isn't about that.

In 2023, I'm rating my DNFs as 1 star.

Your Place or Mine by 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 travel 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 could be more satisfactory.
There's just one solution for Serena – drive him out of the house. But Ziggy knows Serena's game. So will being forced together result in unexpected consequences?
Portia MacIntosh's stories always make you smile, and Your Place or Mine is no exception. The book is a well-written, entertaining will they/won't they Rom-Com with great characters; it is full of chemistry and laugh-out-loud scenarios.
I am happy to recommend it.
I want to thank Publishers Boldwood Books, author Portia MacIntosh and Rachel's Random Resources for a place on the tour and a copy to read and review.

This is a quick read that is definitely original. Serena is left jobless and homeless after her former boss's children sell the tea room (which includes the flat where Serena lived). Luckily, Serena's friend Taylor asks Serena to housesit while she and her husband Tim are on holiday for a month. Unfortunately, Tim asks his musician friend Ziggy to housesit, too. Since Ziggy left his flat, Taylor and Tim suggest Serena and Ziggy both stay. Wtih the house being renovated, only 1 bedroom/bathroom is completed...and Ziggy claims it, leaving Serena with the lumpy mattress and outdated bathroom.

After a chance meeting with a girl asking for advice on cakes since the tea room is closing, Serena discovers her boyfriend is this girl's fiance. Instead of just breaking up with him, she attempts to set him up so the girl finds out what he's doing. Adding to her problems, Serena begins to look at her annoying flatmate Ziggy as something more after seeing him perform a gig with his band. Now what should she do?

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy. This is a really good book, kept me entertained throughout and I would thoroughly recommend to all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Portia Macintosh for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Portia Macintosh.. you truly never disappoint! This was a really good quick read. The book had good pace, it was funny, heartwarming and the banter and pranks between Serena and Ziggy was very entertaining.

It has the following tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and fake marriage.

If you’ve enjoyed any of Portias other books you definitely need to add this one to your tbr list because it’s a good one!

I truly enjoyed the banter between Ziggy & Serena. I would’ve loved for more tension buildup between them 😂 they made me laugh & even had some heartfelt moments together. Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick easy read for me and if you’re a fan of You Deserve Eachother , “enemies to lovers” or forced proximity tropes I think you would enjoy as well!

I was thankful enough to receive this book as an advanced readers copy for an honest review. I was really vibing with the beginning of the book, but over time i just wasn’t falling in love with it anymore. I felt like it was dragging and the synopsis made me expect different from this book. I got about 61% into this book and decided to put it down. It wasn’t for me but i definitely think there’s people out there that will enjoy this enemies to lovers, forced proximity book

I’m a little torn on how I feel about this book. On one hand, there’s nothing inherently wrong with it. But on the other, I feel like the focus of the book was lost.

After reading many many romance books sometimes is difficult to read one and say, wow this was different. This book was! I enjoyed it so much.
First of all, both characters are relatable, act their age and handle the presented situations in a believable way while still making me laugh and even surprise. Their pranks, banter and sweet moments are great. They are both going through changes in their lives and trying to do their best.
I would say the main tropes are, enemy to lovers and close proximity. I cant put a name on their "developing
" relationship but I really like when authors show the characters enjoying each other during the book. Not just at the end in a HEA. Their chemistry, banter and scheming was chefs kiss!
I might have liked a little more spice after all the slow burn though.
I enjoyed the plot a lot, it had a little twists here and there that I really enjoyed. The book stays true to a romance/rom-com while not being a cliche.
I look forward to reading more about this author.

This is the second Portia Macintosh book I have read and it was just as enjoyable as this first ! Serena’s life is thrown upside down which leads her to house sitting for her friend, the thing is she isn’t the only one to be asked ! Serena and Ziggy now have to navigate living with each other, as well as a few surprises along the way.

This is a enemies to lovers and forced proximity troupe which sometimes I don’t enjoy the two together, this book however seemed to work. I felt this kept me interested most of the time but sometimes i felt a bit bored of what was going on and some parts weren’t needed.

This turned out to be a really fun and entertaining read. The humour comes from the situations and the characters who react to events. Serena and Ziggy have a certain chemistry from their first meeting and I particularly enjoyed their attempts to outdo each other. When you first meet Serena, her life is at a crossroads as she seems to be in a precarious position. She strikes you as someone who is desperately looking for genuine friendship and a sense of belonging but who is quite lonely. She is a determined and ultimately optimistic person however and can keep a cool head in the most chaotic of circumstances.

Ziggy is a bit harder to figure out but you gradually get to see his kindness and softer side. The storyline has quite a few surprises and the men who appear in Serena’s life add so much humour to the story. If you are looking for a light and entertaining read, you will thoroughly enjoy finding out how Serena turns her life round. 

In short: laugh out loud moments and great characters 
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
#blogtour

Your Place or Mine? Follows down on her luck Serena, who is losing her job, she is losing her place to live when her boss and friend passes away. Her boss’s two children, Agatha, and Andrew are planning to take over the bakery, Diana’s Tearoom Serena worked at and sell it. Luckily her friend, Taylor, and her husband, Tim, are going on an extended vacation, which means Serena can stay in their house while they are gone. Unfortunately, Tim invites one of his friends, Ziggy, to live there, too. As a musician, he is working through getting things together with his band mates. Ziggy and Serena must then live together even though they do not get off to the best start.

The two were opposites in a forced proximity situation, which is one of my favorite enemies to lovers set ups. As this was a romance novel, I was fully expecting Serena and Ziggy to get together by the end; however, in the beginning of the story, Serena is with a guy named Dean. The two of them go out together, but Dean may not be telling the truth about him and his ex. This was a very unexpected part of the novel as it takes up most of the pages. The other part of the story was an unexpected inheritance from Diana for Serena. Here she navigates trying to figure out how to best move forward and become successful in her own way.

As the synopsis of the story makes it seem that the house would be at the center, it was very unexpected to have a lot more plotlines. I enjoyed each, but I wish there was a little more focus on Ziggy and Serena together in the house. For me, I don’t mind that the center was more on Serena’s journey through life, love, and grief, but I just wish my expectations were altered before beginning the story. Since there were three main plots (the business, Ziggy, and Dean), there was a lot to be accomplished to reach a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the ending, but I feel it needed more time for me to fully connect to everything. Some elements felt more unfinished than others, but I enjoyed the originality and I also loved how both characters were not rich with their own places to live. It was nice to see people in their 30s who were financially struggling as it is something you don’t see in a lot of stories. While this was not my favorite MacIntosh read, I still enjoy her style and look forward to reading more of her novels in the future!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were so many different storylines within this “rom-com” that caused the story to feel wholly disjointed and not at all like a rom-com. I would have enjoyed this story so much more if the author had only focused on two major plot points. There were some that were added in for no reason whatsoever, points that added absolutely nothing to the story.

Overall, I wanted so much more from this book. If this story had focused solely on the roommates-to-lovers romance and the inherited sex shop, I would have loved this story so much more. The other storylines just completely took away from this story.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.