Over the Fence

Over the Fence by Melanie Moreland 

Two neighbors—strangers—with one thing in common—they share a fence.

But is that the only thing they share?

Nathan Fraser lives a solitary life, never letting anyone get too close. It’s safer that way.

Kourtney Whyte hides from the world and behind her work, too afraid to really live her life to the fullest. Rejection is what she knows best.

But one night, the sound of her soft voice and the tantalizing aroma of her evening meal, prove too enticing for Nathan to ignore.

So begins their unconventional relationship—talking, learning, texting, and gradually opening up to one another, all over the fence.

That is, until the day Nathan braves the high fence to protect Kourtney from her past, and changes everything forever.

Can they move forward together, without the buffer of the fence?

Or will their pasts prove to be too much of a barrier?**

Do you believe that you can love someone without ever laying eyes on them? Then when you do finally see them you just know that everything is right with the world? Nathan lives a lonely existence. He goes to work, comes home, eats crappy food, and sits on his back deck with a beer. He's had neighbors before, he'd never really seen or heard them but this new neighbor has mouth watering smells coming over his fence. When he smells the food his mouth seems to work on its own accord. 

My head fell back and a groan escaped my lips, because it smelled fucking amazing. 

“I beg your pardon?” A shocked, sweet-sounding voice came from behind the fence. 

Oh shit. 

Did I say that out loud?

I chuckled. “Sorry.” I cleared my throat. “Your, ah, dinner smells awesome. It’s making my sandwich look pretty pathetic.”

Nathan strikes up a conversation with the woman, he calls her Chefgirl because he doesn't get her name. She offers him some of her food and he can't say no. His sandwich has expired meat on it so chicken and veggies sound like heaven and taste better too. And so goes their odd friendship, they're fence friends. She feeds him and they talk. Finally he gets her name and its Kourtney, with a K.  The more they talk the more Nathan wants to know. He'd love to meet her but anytime he suggests it Kourtney gets quiet and withdrawn. He's determined though, he's starting to think of her as more than just a friend and he wants to see her, touch her and be in the same room with her. 

“Okay.” But I didn’t move. “Kourtney…look at me—please.”

She stiffened further, anxiety pouring off her body at my quiet words. Reaching out, I cupped her chin and lifted her face.

“Open your eyes, Kourtney. Let me see you.”

Her hands clenched hard on my chest. Her eyelids opened, slow and hesitant.

And, for the first time I gazed into Kourtney’s wide eyes, a surprised gasp escaping my lips.

Kourtney is damaged, her father and brother treat her like crap. No one has ever told her they love her and no one treats her like shes a normal person. She has some different qualities but shes a good person and people don't notice. She's that girl that wants to be the fly on the wall to just watch and not be seen. Nat won't let her be the shrinking violet she wants to be. He wants to be with her and love her.

This was a great story. One that shows you can love someone no matter what, that looks don't matter, its about how you connect with a person. Nat showed Kourtney that he could love her despite having only talked to her and shook her hand. He could shower her with all the compliments and make her see that what she'd been told before was all a bunch of shit, from bitter jealous people. Read this book and then come and let me know what your thoughts are! As always show the author some love in the form of a review. 

**Goodreads summary

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