Kissing the Enemy Next Door

I’m fake dating the man who’s trying to put my café out of business. This can only end badly.

When I moved back to Hunter’s Creek to save my family’s café, I thought my biggest challenge would be juggling lattes, muffins, and small-town gossip.

I did not expect my biggest problem to be Oliver Langdon.

Oliver is hot, infuriatingly charming, and the owner of the shiny new coffee shop that just opened next door to mine. He has a smirk that should come with a warning label and a business plan that seems to involve destroying my livelihood one caramel latte at a time.

Naturally, I hate him.

Unfortunately, I might have flirted with him before I knew he was the enemy. And even more unfortunately, my heart still does a stupid little flip every time he leans over the property line with that infuriating smile.

Then my cheating ex comes back to town, and Oliver offers a solution that is either brilliant or a complete disaster: he’ll pretend to be my boyfriend. Suddenly we’re fake dating, fake kissing, and spending way too much time together for two people who are supposed to be rivals.

The problem? The more time I spend with the enemy next door, the harder it is to remember why I’m supposed to hate him.

I came home to save the café. Falling for my biggest rival was definitely not part of the plan.

Kissing My Fake Boyfriend is a sweet small-town romantic comedy featuring fake dating, enemies to lovers, small-town gossip, found family, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Welcome to Hunter’s Creek, where gossip travels fast, matchmaking is a community service, and the Cole sisters are about to discover that falling in love is practically inevitable. Each book in the Sisters and Sweethearts series can be read as a standalone romantic comedy.

Perfect for readers who love:

  • Fake dating
  • Enemies to lovers
  • Small-town romance
  • Found family
  • Meddling townspeople
  • Sweet / closed-door romance
  • Romantic comedies
  • Happily ever after

Previously published as Faking It with the Guy Next Door. This revised 2026 edition includes an expanded bonus epilogue and updates throughout.

 

Praise for Kissing the Enemy Next Door:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This book gave me all the feels: laughter, tears, and a serious case of the swoons.” – Amazon bestselling author, Melanie Summers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Witty banter and some serious chemistry between the two main characters makes this enemies to lovers story sizzle!” – USA Today bestselling author, Delancey Stewart

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I loved this book so hard I’m packing my bags and moving to Hunter’s Creek.” –USA Today bestselling author, Whitney Dineen

Reader’s LOVE Kissing the Enemy Next Door:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “A wonderfully funny, moving romance with a feel-good ending.” – Booksprout reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Wow, what a wonderful story!” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “There is enemies to lovers, and then there is Marlowe & Oliver. They’re like Napalm. Combustible during bickering, and also in their attraction to each other.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “There is enemies to lovers, and then there is Marlowe & Oliver. They’re like Napalm. Combustible during bickering, and also in their attraction to each other.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This story would make an awesome Hallmark movie!” – Bookbub reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I am usually all about the steam, but Kate O’Keeffe’s ‘closed-door’ romances are just so so good that I know I’m going to love them before I even start.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “An absolute winner.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I fell in love with Marlowe and Oliver!” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This book has everything I love best about ‘enemies to lovers’ stories. Marlowe and Oliver aren’t even like oil and water, they’re more like fire and gasoline: completely explosive. They kind of only had two modes – fighting and falling for one another. But I didn’t mind that in the least. Their banter was so much fun when they were fighting, and when they were falling, they were just too cute for words.” – Booksrpout reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I hate the thought that with the last of the Cole sisters happily coupled up, we may have reached the end of the series. I’m not in any way prepared to let go of these characters just yet.” – Booksrpout reviewer

 

Titles in the Sisters & Sweethearts series:

Each title in the series can be read as a standalone as each book is about one of the three Cole sisters, Harper, Ryn, and Marlowe. If you want to read them in order, here it is:

 

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Kissing the Enemy Next Door by Kate O’Keeffe

What is Kissing the Enemy Next Door about?

It’s a sassy, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romcom featuring Marlowe Cole and her infuriatingly attractive next-door neighbor, Oliver Langdon. He’s the brains behind a flashy coffee chain threatening her aunt’s cozy café—and her peace of mind. But when he volunteers to be her fake date to help her dodge an ex, Marlowe starts wondering if the guy she’s supposed to hate might just be her perfect brew.

Who are the main characters in the book?

  • Marlowe Cole – the youngest Cole sister, fiercely loyal, coffee-loving, and not here for corporate takeovers… or charming smiles that make her forget herself.
  • Oliver Langdon – the tall, dark, annoyingly gorgeous CEO of Steamy Coffee, aka the enemy next door. He’s cool under pressure, excellent with an espresso machine, and maybe hiding more heart than he lets on.

Is Kissing the Enemy Next Door part of a series?

Yes! It’s book 3 in the Sisters & Sweethearts series, which follows each of the Cole sisters as they find love in the small town of Hunter’s Creek, Washington. While each book stands alone with its own swoony HEA, reading them all gives you the full sister-filled experience.

Do I need to read the other Sisters & Sweethearts books first?

Nope! You can jump right into Marlowe’s story without having read the first two books. That said, if you love small-town settings, sibling banter, and sweet romantic arcs, you’ll definitely enjoy the series as a whole.

What romance tropes does this book feature?

Faking It with the Guy Next Door is a trope lover’s dream:

  • Enemies to lovers
  • Fake dating
  • Small-town romance
  • Opposites attract
  • Rivals in business and love
  • Forced proximity
  • Grumpy/sunshine (depending on the moment!)
  • And yes—coffee wars

Is Kissing the Enemy Next Door a closed-door romance?

Yes! Like all Kate O’Keeffe books, it’s sweet, clean, and closed-door. Expect loads of chemistry, flirty banter, and heartfelt emotion—with zero on-page heat.

Is there a happy ending?

Absolutely. You’ll get a warm, satisfying happily ever after that wraps up both the rivalry and the romance in the most delicious way.

Where is the book set?

The story takes place in Hunter’s Creek, Washington, a charming small town full of gossiping locals, quirky committees, and just enough drama to fuel a romcom (or three).

Is the ebook in Kindle Unlimited?

Yes! You can read Faking It with the Guy Next Door for free with Kindle Unlimited, or buy it as an ebook or paperback on Amazon.

Who would enjoy this book?

Romcom fans who love:

  • Sizzling enemies-to-lovers tension
  • Fake relationships with real feelings
  • Small-town charm
  • Coffee shop rivalries
  • Sassy heroines and secretly sweet heroes
    will find Faking It with the Guy Next Door absolutely irresistible.

Where can I read Kissing the Enemy Next Door?

You can grab the ebook on Amazon and it’s on Kindle Unlimited, too. The  paperback is available at all online retailers, and the audiobook is available wherever you get your audiobbok,s including libraries.

What did Kissing the Enemy Next Door used to be called?

Kissing my Fake Boyfriend was first published as Faking it with the Guy Next Door.