Playing for Keeps (Neighbor from Hell) by R. L. Mathewson

Honeymoon from Hell #1

by R.L. Mathewson

Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN B015SD1SI6A novelette series based on the Neighbor from Hell series The HFH series will cover the wedding and honeymoon for all your favorite NFH couples including Jared and Megan’s. Part #1 Jason and Haley’s honeymoon

Genres: Romance, Humor, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Novella, Adult, Chick Lit

Paperback

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

New York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.

Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.

Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.

In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.

Reviews

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Unlucky Stars!



This new series of novellas tell us the honeymoons of the Bradford family. (You know them from Neighbors From Hell. And if you don’t, I strongly advise you to get acquainted with them.) Apparently the Bradford family has a curse: everyone that goes in a honeymoon before completing one year of marriage, their honeymoon is a tragedy.
Obviously Jason doesn’t care and he stills wants to take Haley on a perfect honeymoon. So get ready for the most tragic and hilarious honeymoon you’ll ever see!
A great short story, hilarious, with a great epilogue that give a little peak into the Bradford family lives. If you liked the series you can’t miss this.



Rating: 4Stars.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects: No.
Love Triangle: No.
Cheating: No.
HEA: Yes.

[AniSsina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is mostly me ranting, so...

...
As lovely as it is to read about what happens after the end of a book I think there is a point in which the author and the fans must realize it is just too much.

I know some series become great hits for authors and they have requests for more books and that's okay, but they need to learn when to let a series go and find new challenges, new characters, settings and storylines.

Don't get me wrong, I love the NFH series characters, even with all the food obsession thing which I found a little annoying, and I was very happy with what I thought should have been a great 'series finale' (the historical one) and suddenly I found there's more cousins I never heard of before and weird smart kids that are pretty scary and I don't really like.

The little stories on the blog were fine and kind of a lovely gesture from the author to the fans until they decided it would be cool to write new ones and sell them.

I guess I'll make an effort to read them because I got invested with these characters from the beginning, but I don't feel like I'm getting an awesome bonus story from them anymore, just a weird feeling that I must read it because, otherwise, I would've not completed the reading.

And BTW, this comment could apply to a loooot of authors and their most famous series, so it's nothing against this book in particular (e.g. Bella Andre and The Sullivans - like, really? once you're done with all these unmentioned cousins from all over the US, the first set of siblings would be like 70 and then we'll start reading their kids' stories and if they reproduce like the first generations, well damn! I will be 70 by the time the series reaches the end)

[Akanksha❤ Søren♰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its been out since 22 DAYS!!

Have I been living under a fucking rock? :O


Why haven't I heard of this? And why wasn't GR bursting up about this?

Jason and Haley FOREVERRRRRRR :D :D :D Can't wait to start this!

[Paige Bookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all love honeymoon.

I mean, stop being a sanctimonious bitch for a second and admit that there's nothing more better than sex all day long with the love of your life.

Be honest. We're all expecting this:





Most of the time we got that right in real life and in the romance novels we were reading.But not this one, sucker. Yes, we got steamy sex (it's Jason and Haley, so ofcourse there's going to be sex), but this particular honeymoon will be the very definition of "cursed" and you just can't help but go:





Really though.It was just plain horrible.

[Floripiquita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque sea una nadería, para mí es mejor que el primero de este par. Lo que me pude reír no está escrito. Le doy un 4,5. Como cegata que soy, me sentí totalmente identificada con la protagonista.

[Grecia Robles · Rating 3 out of 5]

AMO A JASON, ME ENCANTA



Y su obsesión por la comida es lo máximo



Aunque no aporta nada nuevo fue muy divertido y sobre todo volver a encontrarme con personajes que tanto amé. Me dieron ganas de volver a leer su libro

[MG *Bury Me with My Kindle.. & a REALLY Long Charger* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read and follow-up from the Playing for Keeps: Neighbor from Hell #1 story. I enjoyed Jason as a character because he was both hunky and funny, and for the most part, he was the same in this book. It was a little weird that he kidnapped Haley to get her to marry him, but she wasn't genuinely coerced into marrying him, so it worked out I guess; however, legend has it that the Bradford men have terrible luck when it comes to honeymoons if they are taken right after they get married. If they wait a year or so, things go smoothly, but for whatever reason, getting hitched and taking off for time alone together never works out well. And this was no exception. Many mishaps and messes occur when Jason and Haley try to enjoy some post-hasty wedding bliss - some more outlandish than others, and a few definitely entertaining moments along the way. But all is well that ends well when the honeymoon from hell is finally over.

Plot --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- none
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! ; 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

[Denise Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Después de MESES leí algo nuevamente por PLACER.

Me encantó. Qué sé yo. Todo lo que pasa y como se va dando es una locura sin sentido. Pero bueno. Son Jason y Hayley. Los amo, gente.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Haley professes her love for Jason, Jason decides he needs to make her his and nobody else's quickly. Kidnapping and holding her hostage for her wedding is a much needed event, but Jason doesn't heed warning when he is told by the other Bradford's to wait on the honeymoon, it's a curse. It can't really be true can it?

Very fun follow up to Haley and Jason's story. Of course as expected several laugh out loud moments that amused me greatly. I love this series, it always brings a smile to may face and makes me want more. Highly entertaining.

[Fanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honeymoon From Hell I es el primer libro de la nueva serie de R. L. Mathewson, un " spin off " de su saga Neighbor From Hell. En este primer libro se narra la luna de miel de Haley y Jason.
Que puedo decir de esta lectura?? no esperaba que fuera tan buena historia ni que me reiria tanto como lo hice, fue graciosisima! Es cierto que no aporta nada a la historia, es simplemente un " epilogo largo " para terminar de cerrar la historia de Jason y Haley.
Me encanta que la autora haga este tipo de historias donde nos muestra que pasa despues del " ... y comieron perdices. "
Si eres fan de la saga Neighbor From Hell no puedes dejar de leer esta nueva serie y si amaste a Jason en Playing For Keeps en esta nueva historia lo adoraras aun mas. Garantizado.

3.75 Estrellas!

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was short and sweet. worth its .99 price. While the read wasn't anything great and we really didn't learn anything new about this couple it was nice getting a small glimpse of one of my all time favorite book couples.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was absolutely the best read I have had in a long time. All I could do was laugh till the tears rolled. R L Matthewson you are the best. I can't wait for the others.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason and Haley are still my favorite couple in the series. And the epilogue, oh my... *sighs*

[Tahsin · Rating 2 out of 5]

maybe it's just been a while since i read this series, but the utter ridiculousness did not impress me this time around.

[Viri · Rating 3 out of 5]

—Comida, necesito comida.

Hahahahaha fue genial volverlos a leer! Amo a JASON! Y a su obsesión por la comida! El libro la verdad no es gran cosa, pero es que ellos son increíbles.

[Emma ~ The Indecisive Reader ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Quirky Omega · Rating 4 out of 5]

My excitement knew no bounds when I found out about this series. It was the perfect dessert to the heart-filling meal that Neighbours from Hell series is.



Picking up from where the first Neighbour From Hell finishes, we are taken on a hilarious ride with Haley and Jason on their honeymoon. Like many Bradfords before him, after a hot reunion, Jason manipulates Haley into going for a quickie wedding at the courthouse. Haley may seem to be complaining on the surface but she’s fooling no one, she's more than excited about her wedding.
As Jason's leaving with Haley for their honeymoon, his father warns him about the Bradford curse that no honeymoon in the first year of marriage, has ever gone right in the Bradford family. Uncaring for such old jibber-jabber, Haley and Jason leave anyway for their romantic vacation and the story starts.

I loved reading the Neighbours from Hell series. So it was understood I’d follow the spin-offs too like an obsessed fan-girl. And I had a wicked time reading it.
Jason’s petulant acts, and juvenile behaviour are so darn funny and Haley’s “fists of fury” could only kill you with laughter.

Matthewson’s NFH series has full of hot, schmexy moments that provide for some serious need-to-cool-down moments. And the adoring love between the characters is quite endearing.

It must be noted though, that the book cannot be read without reading the first book of the NFH series. But the price is worth paying. Both the books prove to be a wonderful way to pass your time smiling at all things cute and hot.

[A_Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny. This books starts at exactly the same moment the very first book finished and continues the story of Jason and Haley.

Jason is sure that, given time, Hayley will realise she's too good for him. And so he decides he must make her legally his before she has a chance to change her mind about him. True to his crazy self, he decides to kidnap her right then and there and get married on the double!!
The Beloved Bradford men beg him to rethink his crazy cray, cray ideas about a honeymoon reminding him of the notorious Bradford curse:

"every Bradford that ever attempted to take his wife on a honeymoon within the first year of marriage in the last two hundred years has barely made it out alive."

....and so the crazy fun begins.

I was hesitant to give this novelette a go because I got to a point where the Neighbours From Hell series was just dragging on for a little too long, and I admit I rolled my eyes a little when I saw the title come up. I thought to myself "Sheesh! Ms Mathewson is really milking this for all it's worth!" But at 99c I couldn't go past it. Especially because I am such a HUGE fan of Jason. And I'm so glad I gave it a go!

Jason was still adorable and hilarious and the sparks between him and Hayley were just as HOT as in the first installment.

A short (one hour) read. Perfect for a giggle. A great way to revisit some fantastic characters.

Fans if the NFH series will definitely love this!!

[➦Paulette & Her Sexy Alphas❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novelette series based on the Neighbor from Hell series
Part #1 Jason and Haley’s honeymoon..... The Bradford family has a lot of curses.I really enjoyed this one. Can't wait to read the next one.Classic Jason and Haley. Their trek home from the truck had me laughing so hard. A wonderfully funny part I. Can't wait to see what's happen to the rest of the Bradford family

[Kat Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this one, kept me giggling but also cringing! I wouldn't want to be married to a Bradford if I had to go through all of that! ;) Jason and Haley are my favorite couple definitely. I especially love it when Jason is being melodramatic!

[Brendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay 3.5 stars rating only because it wouldn’t be fair for the other books given that this one is quite short.
Okay maybe not that short as not quite long, I’m pretty sure this is the perfect book for a holiday, a waiting for something like a medical appointment, as well for any kind of vehicle you'd find yourself stuck while traveling somewhere.
And also given that the Bradfords believe this is actually a curse I’m with Hayley on this; this is just a lacking of planning and more the outcome of something out of mere impulse, taking them to take any possible direction as long as they get themselves out of the freaking mistakes happening around the honeymoon.
So here, we have a laughing moments as well as lovely moments, while all the time the reader is praying that those kind of things never happens to any one of them n reality, because really, here is no magic or anything like that! One can really get lost or into a fire or something hehe.
How I missed Jason and Hayley!!!
So summing up: here we have, the so called proposal, followed for the shocking unbelievable and really well strategized- by the whole Bradford family and Hayley’s grandma-wedding, and the frightening honeymoon- that actually was kind of cute given all the effort he went through to make it possible- and just finishing on the really perfect way to finish a so called curse, hehe.
Not saying a lot in order to avoid spoilers, but here:

He was done for.
He’d wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, the need becoming more urgent with every passing day until he’d thought he’d die if he didn’t make her his.

He’d officially just given his wife the most fucked up honeymoon in the history of the Bradford family, and considering all the horror stories that he’d heard all over the years from his father, uncles and cousins, that was saying a lot.

“And what would you have done differently ?” he asked, licking his lips as she opened her eyes so that she could wrap her arms and legs around him.
“Absolutely nothing”

And seriously! Passing for a victim in front of a whole Bible group, given that he was a huge, built hot guy in order to have his way with the woman of his life!!! That was a low blow ! hehehe

[Asheley T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella begins immediately after Playing for Keeps and features Haley and Jason.

It isn't a spoiler to say that Haley and Jason are now married since the word "honeymoon" is in the title. The novella is basically a honeymoon-gone-horribly-wrong, since the Bradford men have a very specific honeymoon curse. I laughed, of course I did.

If you like the novel, you will probably like this. But you have to read the novel first, because spoilers. I think I'm doing something unusual and reading in a different way than most Bradford family fans: I'm reading the novel then the novella, then the next novel then its corresponding novella, etc etc. It didn't occur to me to read all of the novels and then all of the novellas until I had already finished this set (#1 and #1.5) and then I looked over Goodreads and saw that I'm in basically doing it wrong. Ooopsy?

[amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG how come I never know this?! Hahaha. I looove NFH series and I certainly love Haley and Jason (though my favorite is Zoey)! If you wanna read this book, I strongly suggest you read the Neighbor From Hell series FIRST so you can get the, you know, feeling of Bradfords addiction. This book continues the end of book one, Playing For Keeps. I loved it and I'm so gonna read more! <3

Oh, and poor Bradfords and their so-called curse. But hey, I'll take all the curse if I ended up with one of them! :)))

[The Junkie's Fix is Reading (it's Em) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ Stars

I've always love Hailey and Jason and this novella is an icing on the cake. I had the same feeling I have when I first read their story. You can't help but LOL. And Jason's expression at the ending made burst out laughing, the people at the cafe staring at me with "she's a wierdo" expression. Hahaha. I can't wait to read the honeymoon of the other bradfords, especially Trevor and Zoe's (my fave couple from the series).

#highlyrecommended

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The craziness antics continue between these two love birds. It leaves off where the story ended in book one. Its a short story from our favorite couples from NFH series. It had me laughing all over again. It's describes how Jason somehow got Haley to marry his sneaky ass and how their honeymoon turn into a disastrous trip to Hell! It's was freakin' hilarious. It's best to read book one (Playing Fo Keeps) for better understanding. Love those Bradfords.

[Sana]

It was a cute read and I loved absolutely loved Haley. She is so so cute! Absolutely adorable.
The only thing that bothered me throughout the book was that I could not see the typical Bradford- there was almost no scenes of their food craving or fighting over food. Otherwise it was short, sweet and I can't wait for Trevor's honeymoon hell.

[Saboo · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can not wait to get my hands on this. i am quite like a Bradford when it comes to food and books and this one will be the ultimate gourmet delight so stand back here i come

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, fantastic, hilarious....just what i craved for. My ideal pair. I love them)

[100sweet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed at how OTT and silly this story was but I guess thats what fans of this series expect. Won't be reading the others.

[MamaBear2019 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so needed this to laugh at. I love Jason and Haley