Two powerhouse authors bring you a hilarious tale of one woman’s journey to find herself again.Ever have one of those days where life just plain sucks? Welcome to my last three months—ever since I caught my can’t-be-soon-enough ex-husband cheating with his paralegal. I’m thirty-five years old, and I’ve lost my NYC apartment, my job, my money, and frankly, my dignity.But the final heartache in the … the final heartache in the suck sandwich of my life? My great-aunt Maggie died. The only family member who’s ever gotten me.
Even after death, though, she’s helping me get back up. She’s willed me the keys to a house in the burbs, of all places, and dared me to grab life by the family jewels. Well, I’ve got the vise grips already in hand (my ex should take note) and I’m ready to fight for my life again.
Too bad that bravado only lasts as long as it takes to drive into Huckleberry Hills. And see the house.
There are forty-seven separate HOA violations, and I feel them all in my bones. Honestly, I’m surprised no one’s “accidentally” torched the house yet. I want to, and I’ve only been standing in front of it for five minutes. But then my hot, grumpy neighbor tells me to mow the lawn first and I’m just…done. Done with men too sexy for their own good and done with anyone telling me what to do.
First rule of surviving the burbs? There is nothing that YouTube and a glass of wine can’t conquer.
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I can’t find the words to express how much I loved this book. I couldn’t contain the happiness I found reading this book. They say laughter is the best medicine and I got a good dose of it!
More than once did I get a side glance while either giggling or laughing out loud.
I have a thing for an outer tough guy but a real teddy bear once you get to know them. I have decided that we all need an Aunt Maggie in our lives; ideally I would like to be someone’s Aunt Maggie. You get to see the love she had for those close to her by the memories the characters share throughout the story. You would guess correctly if you think Aunt Maggie is the reason for some of the giggles. My favorite type of books, regardless of genre, are the ones where I feel immersed in the story. Back in the Burbs was the perfect fit because I felt like I was friends with Mallory by the end of the story. I have read multiple books by Avery Flynn and with each one I feel a connection with either one or more of the characters. I long to see what happens after the end of the book. Do they have children? Do the grandchildren visit? Some say it is silly, I say it the way one should leave after reading a good book.
HOA or nosey neighbors – I am sure at least at one point in most people’s life, they have had to deal with one or the other. Poor Mallory was no exception. The banter between the Mallory and THAT NEIGHBOR kept me engaged and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I may have read the entire book in one night. I may have gone back and reread parts because I needed a lift. This book will stay with me for a while and I for that I am very happy. It definitely goes in my re-read pile.
Avery Flynn
Back in the Burbs is the perfect blend of a woman (Mallory) finding her inner strength and standing up for herself…all while getting a divorce from her cheating husband…and avoiding her super-hot, broody, HOA rule-pushing neighbor, Nick.
I LOVED this book! It was so different than the normal books I have read! Both authors are so wonderful and when a romantic comedy is done flawlessly…you don’t want to pass it up! Every part of this book was so well written…from the characters (main and supporting) to the storyline to the twists and suprises to the romance…JUST ALL OF IT! I just seriously loved so much about this that I never wanted it to end. 5 LOL stars!
4.5 Star Review of Back In The Burbs by Tracy Wolff & Avery Flynn
I have read several books by Avery Flynn but Tracy Wolff is a new author to me and I have no idea why that is. From the first to the last chapter one I was fully invested in the story that Ms. Wolff and Ms.Flynn wove.
The writing was strong and the story flowed well. I have no idea which author wrote what or where one finished and the other took over, such was the ease of their writing. It was humorous, emotional, with characters you cannot help but fall in love with.
Inheriting her aunts house holds the key to Mallory getting her life back on track after a horrendous few months. After meeting her extremely grumpy and far from welcoming new neighbour Nick things don’t seem to be improving for Mallory.
However once Mallory and Nick got to know one another the story heated up. As their relationship developed Mallory grew so much and it was heart warming to watch her blossom.
Back In The Burbs is an enemies to lovers story and was an entertaining read that ticked the boxes for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley
3.5 Adjusting To Then Planned Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
It s not every day you have to deal with getting your cheating husband to become your ex, somehow now not having your NYC apartment or money or job. All of these things have just taken place front and center in Mallory’s life.
And to add more pain and confusion, her Great Aunt Maggie, the only person on this earth who got her, has passed away. Yet, with this happening, it is like Maggie is reaching out to tell Mallory, things will work out, I’ve got a plan for you…I am giving you my house and you can re-invent yourself there.
Mallory decides to take Great Aunt Maggie’s offer and even with the caveat Maggie threw in of it “needing a little work”, Mallory is ready to take it on.
Little did Mallory realize what was about to happen…
She was going to go toe to toe with the bane of all home powers, the dreaded HOA. Yes, those people who like to make 67,000 rules over the stupidest things. She also didn’t know the cute guy next door would be someone who likes rules and would point out all the things that needed to be done at their first meeting.
This was a fun, sweet, humorous, and heartfelt RomCom that also shared some real stuff about life and the people we love. Not everything we think about our loved ones is what happening…sometimes they may need a helping hand with things but don’t want to ask. The life lesson is to reach out and make sure there is no judgment in our offers of assistance.
j’étais curieuse de découvrir cette histoire et je n’ai pas été déçue de la découverte de Mallory qui va devoir apprendre à rebondir après une fin de mariage plutôt houleuse. Elle va donc accepter la maison que sa grand tante lui lègue mais c’est juste une catastrophe, elle n’a plus vraiment d’argent, pleins de choses à faire et elle a bien envie de baisser les bras. Mais ça n’est pas son genre et les différentes rencontres qu’elle va faire vont changer la donne, j’ai aimé son caractère même si parfois ses peurs m’ont fait lever les yeux au ciel, j’ai aimé la voir se prendre des claques quand elle ne fait pas les choses bien et s’en veut et j’ai aimé la douceur et la gentillesse de notre héros qui tempère bien le caractère de Mallory. Sa prise de conscience est graduelle et forcément, on les quitte avec un grand sourire aux lèvres et le coeur plein d’amour ! Une très chouette romance !!
This is a book that I think readers will really connect with. After all we’ve all had those times, no matter how long they last, when Murphy’s Law seems to be in full effect and a massive cloud of misfortune and bad luck hangs over our head as our own personal harbinger of doom. I thought this made this book and its female lead character, Mallory incredibly relatable. The authors skillfully add tons of humor and a really beautiful romance into the mix to create a read that moves you but also entertains. Mallory and Nick are complex and likable. Their chemistry sparks and their banter is sharp. This book is a definite must read. I’m electing to post a candid review.
Back in the Burbs is the new rom-com from what I am dubbing the dynamic duo of Avery Flynn and Tracy Wolff. While they are both fairly new-to-me authors, I’m already a fan of both of their works, so diving into this book was a no-brainer for me.
In the midst of a painful divorce, NYC girl Mallory inherits her great aunt’s house in suburbia. While it holds bittersweet memories for her, it’s a veritable disaster. Faced with no job, an anemic bank account, and a hoarder’s paradise inside the newly-inherited house, she decides to pull up her big girl panties, throw up a one-fingered salute at her parents, her vindictive almost ex-husband, and her new community’s HOA and make the house her new home despite the evil HOA breathing down her neck. What follows is hilarious banter coupled with some real emotion and character growth, all within the backdrop of the generalization of today’s suburbia.
Back in the Burbs is a true gem. The combination of the witty banter, the soccer moms of suburbia, and the chemistry between Mallory and Nick makes this a page-turner. Even the minor characters play significant roles at one time or another throughout the story. And you can’t discount the friendship with Mallory’s former high school acquaintance, the fabulously flashy Angie. We all need an Angie in our lives at some point. Someone who won’t let us wallow, pushes us to get out of our shell, and does everything they can to help us bounce back when we hit rock bottom. In a nutshell, a true friend.
I couldn’t devour this book fast enough. Both main characters have something painful and life-changing they are facing or have faced, Mallory most recently. And while this is a rom-com, there’s no lack of emotional angst, either. As a bonus, these two amazing authors have written together so well that you can’t pick out who wrote what. It’s a beautifully woven-together story about what happens when life throws you the most unexpected and painful curveballs at you all at once (and what happens when you add wine––and more!––to it) and how a once strong woman gets her life back and triumphs in the end. A must-read for sure!
I give Back in the Burbs by Avery Flynn and Tracy Wolff 5 out of 5 stars!
This book has a little bit of everything – sweet moments, a little bit of steam, lots of hilarity, emotional scenes, a jerk of an ex, cute pets, and heart squeezing love. Mallory recently left her husband of 10 years after walking in on him having sex with his assistant. Mallory was also the office manager at her husband’s law firm – so she lost her marriage, job and home all in one fell swoop. She is thrown a lifeline when her eccentric Aunt Maggie leaves Mallory her house in the burbs in her will. Mallory decides fixing her Aunt’s house, with its countless HOA violations and rooms packed with evidence of Maggie’s hoarding, is the way to take back her life and her sanity. Nick is a lawyer who lives across the street from Aunt Maggie’s house and immediately gets on Mallory’s bad side by telling her to mow the overgrown lawn at their first meeting. Despite first impressions, Nick is a good guy who helps people, including offering Mallory a job in his law firm as their temporary office manager while their regular one is on maternity leave. Thus begins the intertwining of their lives. There’s a lot going on in Mallory’s life and relationships and it seems every time Mallory gets a handle on her new reality something else pops up to upset her apple cart and send her floundering once again. The book is only from Mallory’s point of view so we are not privy to Nick’s thoughts and feelings – only Mallory’s observations and assumptions of what Nick is thinking and feeling. On their way to their HEA, Mallory must deal with her issues, her baggage, and her past choices – in her relationships and career – in order to find her personal happy and in order to build a strong, healthy and respectful relationship with Nick. Mallory struggles and shows a lot of growth in the process as the story unfolds. I could feel Mallory’s struggle with feeling like a hot mess, wanting to blame said mess on everyone but herself, and wanting to just wall herself away from any possibility of future pain. She is so relatable and it was heart warming to see her navigate through the morass of her life. Adding in the laugh out loud scenes made this a great story of finding yourself and your new normal after a nasty divorce. With Back in the Burbs, Avery Flynn again proves she a master of sweet, funny, swoon worthy tales
Back in the Burbs by Avery Flynn and Tracy Wolff delivered the bitter truths of life wrapped in the sweet coating of humor and wit. It was an enchanting read full of fun, emotions and chemistry. It was entertaining and a true escape in form of a contemporary romantic comedy.
Mallory has spent the large part of her life helping her husband build up his law practice sacrificing everything. Only to find out that he is a cheating and vile person. Now she is penniless. Jobless. On verge of an unfair divorce. Just then she inherits the house of her favourite aunt. And when she reaches the picture like suburb, she finds the whole house is in shambles, full of things her aunt hoarded over years, violating 1001 HOA rules and going to cost her tons of money in taxes and everything. As she starts her new journey, she meets her neighbour Nick. Strict for rules, super organized and super smart Nick. Will Nick help her or leave her in greater mess?
So I absolutely love Mallory. This woman is my soulmate. She gets kicked down over and over again..and she gets up over and over again. Her witty banters are EPIC. I mean I could just read her inner monologues for ages. I didn’t know if I should start crying while laughing. Self deprecation is an art and she has it down. But her determination to take charge of her life is absolutely amazing. And wow. She did turn her life around or what? She went through the painful process of looking into the mirror and finding her own faults and then embracing them. She finally put the past where it belongs. In the past.
Because she would have missed someone like Nick otherwise. Oh my heart..this man. Like how perfect is this man. He comes across a bit grumpy, brooding, strict and no fun but when he opens up, that Nick is pure unavoidable dangerous perfection. He is kind. He is loyal. He is genuinely good person. He showed Mallory that she needs to leave her baggage and take risk. His personality is in contrast to Mallory’s slightly weird and colourful one. And they match and balance so well. The chemistry is fantastic. A lot of teasing. A lot of flirting. And a lot of smouldering things!
Back in the Burbs by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn took me to an amazing ride. I laughed, I swooned, I cheered, I clapped and I was completely lost in this journey.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
A laugh out loud, cry in your beer and love hard kind of book that will have your attention from hilarious start to emotional finish. You won’t want to put it down, and you’ll wish there were a few more chapters because you are enjoying this crazy cast so much. Bravo!
Mallory is an awesome character that is so relatable. She has just had her world snatched out from under her and there’s no time like the present to put on her big girl pants and forge her way through the diamond in the rough she just got handed.
Cheating louse of a husband pushing all the right buttons to see a side of her he’s never seen … check! Annoying neighbor being much too sexy for his own good and making her lust when she really just wants to wallow … check! Family members coming out of the woodwork to add their drama on to her own … check!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a rom-com with lots of heart and emotions. I wish I could see this group again because they were a whole lot of fun!
Back in the Burbs is one of my favorite reads of the year! Avery Flynn and Tracy Wolff deliver the perfect blend of heart, humor, and HOA violations to make Back in the Burbs a must read for romcom lovers! There’s just something so relatable about Mallory and the way she tackles not only her divorce, but the HOA from hell, proving that when life knocks you down, sometimes you’ve got to send up an SOS and channel your inner Aunt Maggie!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Back in the Burbs by Avery Flynn & Tracy Wolf is a hilarious chick lit romance.
Mallory Martin is a thirty-five-year-old woman that is in the process of a messy divorce. On top of that, she is unemployed, broke, and
in the middle of an existential crisis. It’s safe to say that she had better days in her life. Her favorite aunt, Maggie O’Malley left
her in her will the house at Huckleberry Hills. Despite everyones’ opinion she decided to keep it and make a new start. Of course, the
house was in really bad shape and she had not left enough savings in the bank. It crossed her mind to give up and go back but slowly
her luck was turning. She met an old friend, who introduced her to a great contractor, and the grumpy neighbor she met on her first day
there begun to warm up to her. Mallory with just a few days back in the burbs and had managed to reaccess her life choices and land
a wonderful/sexy man. Life was finally looking good!!!
It’s such a great book. It has an interesting plot filled with funny and entertaining moments. It’s an enemies to lovers rom-com combined
with a little divorcee drama. The lines in this book are phenomenal. It’s a page-turner for sure, I had a hard time putting it down.
The characters were simply amazing. Nick was a hotty and a gentleman. Mallory was a kind-hearted person who put everyone else above her
and was ready to help anytime. I loved how different they were, he followed the rules and was organized whereas she was a complete mess
in her life. They had intense chemistry in and out of bed. I loved their interactions in general but mostly their first few.
Back in the Burbs is a book that you should have in your collection. If you need a good laugh and a romantic story you should buy it.
I will rate it with 5 stars.
Back in the Burbs is so funny and sweet and emotional. I enjoyed it very much. I liked Mallory, then I wanted to kick her in the pants, and then I liked her again (after she decided to own her baggage instead of letting it own her). I loved Nick from the start….and all the way through the book. He was sweet and a little vulnerable and just seemed like a good guy.
And I want an Aunt Maggie…but without all the hoarding please. LOL. I recommend this romantic comedy to anyone who likes a bit of angst, a quirky heroine, a strong hero, some funny lines, lots of emotions, some heat and lots of heart.
I received a copy of this book from the author via Bookfunnel. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
This is a wonderful look at the mental pitfalls of a divorce woman who gave everything to their spouse.
I really enjoyed the characters and story line. I loved reading Mallory getting her spine and going after her ex. I loved reading about her finally getting out of her own way.
I want really want to be Nick’s mom when I grown up!!
“‘I’m keeping the house.’ And I’m going to fix it up and my life in the process. Period. I can totally do this. God, I hope so.”
Grab your HOA defining lawn flamingos, glass of lemonade, and settle in for an entertaining read filled to the brim with humor, slow-burn tension, steamy sizzle, drama, and heartfelt moments.
Starting over isn’t easy and Mallory fluctuates between self-empowerment “I can totally do this”and self-doubt “How in the world can someone so together ever want to be with someone who is a big of a mess as I am?” Much like Aunt Maggie’s house, Mallory’s oft flip-flopping self-sabatoging frame of mind is too much at times—cluttering the story, hindering thematic moments, and inhibiting the wide cast of characters (including Mallory) to grow and shine to their full potential.
A sweet epilogue and a glimpse into the future, Back in the Burbs leaves you wanting to return to the neighborhood.
*I mean, yeah, Nick and I almost kissed last night, but we didn’t And when he pulled away, I didn’t care at all. *
Mallory is only kidding herself. She is DEFINITELY into her grumpy neighbor, Nick. But he’s everything she wants to stay away from. Such a rule follower, and a lawyer of all things. Too many flashbacks of her ex for her taste.
The more time Mallory spends cleaning up the house her eccentric aunt left her, the more time she spends with Nick. She doesn’t need him, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t nice to have him around.
As Mallory tries to sort out her past, her present and her future, Nick becomes more of a constant fixture it her life. And she is learning that may be a good thing!
I am a huge fan of Avery Flynn but I had not read the co-author Tracy Wolff before. After reading this story, I’ll be looking for her work as well. This is a fun enemies to lovers book and I felt as if I could really relate to some of our heroines plights. Really great chemistry and some drama thrown into the mix had me hooked from the start. All the feels with this one.
This was an incredibly funny book! I love me some funny and this was as good to me as any Jill Shalvis or Kristan Higgins story. I absolutely fell in love with both Nick and Mallory. The two of them together were incredible, even if Mallory did have a lot stuff to overcome from her marriage to her
butt wipe of a husband. There were so many times when I was laughing out loud and actually told my family I was sorry for sitting there and laughing while they were trying to watch TV. Most excellent book, but I kind of wish I’d listened to the audio. I still may.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the authors. All thoughts are my own.
Mallory is left jobless, homeless and wanting to run away until she is told she inherits her aunt Maggie’s home.
Mallory finds the biggest disaster of a house.packed full of stuff and an outside in shambles.
Mallory is ready for a challenge but her neighbor informs her of the HOA violations she is facing. Nick offers her help and a lawyer to help her with her horrible ex. Mallory walks into Nick’s office to pure chaos but takes over and has a part time job. Mallory never imagined that Nick would be the guy to help her move past her past.
When Mallory freaks out and quits work and the thing they have she finds that she wants and misses being happy. Nick is able to show her that they can have that life together with a whole lot of Happy!
What a hoot. Do people still say that? It’s fitting because of Aunt Maggie! This is an emotional ride of a journey with a lot of laughter along the way. At the heart of it though, it tells of a woman’s recovery of herself after a bad marriage and finding out who she is again and what she wants to do with her life. I loved the way the Universe was giving her a lot of things one right after another. It made her into that person she should have been all along. Nick was quite the Gentle hottie! Giving her a hand up not a hand out! I loved the HEA! The story is longer than most but it also had a lot to tell! Characters were very detailed and life like! It’s though they could have been my neighbors. I loved this!
I reviewed a complementary copy of this book