Neighbors to lovers can be a risky proposition in this funny, sexy, and swoony romantic comedy between a single mother and the grumpy man next door by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke.
When Gabrielle Solomon falls, she falls hard. Even if that means literally toppling over a porch railing in nothing but a flimsy towel—right in front of her sexy new neighbor.
Jay Stetson is 100 percent hero material with those arms, that chest, and his deliciously oh-so-sexy smirk. The chiseled hunk in flannel has an irresistible off-limits attitude while plucking Gabrielle out of the bushes and saving her from a snake. Unfortunately, he’s not indulging in what Gabrielle is offering—not with his emotional train wreck of a past.
Just neighbors. Just friends. Or so he says.
Secretly, he’s smitten with the single, fierce mama bear of two who plays Miss Fix-It at the house next door. He doesn’t even really mind the noise or the chaos her young sons cause. What he does mind is how his lonely heart races when looking into her emerald-colored eyes.
Can Jay let his painful memories go, or will he let the woman of his dreams slip between his fingers?
Gabrielle is a grieving single mom of two boys, struggling to comfort them after losing their dad. They’d been divorced for a few years already, but he was still her best friend. She worries that she’s not helping her boys grieve in a healthy way because she hasn’t figured out what that is yet. Jay is the grumpy neighbor at their new home and Gabrielle is nothing short of impressed by this absolute snack of a man, so she’s a little distracted. That would certainly explain how she ends up falling off of her porch in nothing but a towel. Luckily she also ends up being rescued by her hot new neighbor, so it wasn’t all bad, despite the unintended exposure and initial embarrassment.
Their chemistry is undeniable but they’re both insistent that they can’t get involved, for various reasons. She wasn’t in a good place to start a relationship, and he has avoided getting involved with anyone after having his heart ripped out. The kids are also a factor, since kids are a dealbreaker for Jay. He met his ex and fell in love with her infant daughter, raising her as his own for years, only for his ex to cut off contact between him and his daughter. He had no rights to custody or seeing her since he wasn’t her biological father and it destroyed him, so he’ll never date another single mom. That’s a line he will not cross.
I really loved these characters and the way they connected. They became fast friends, and their chemistry was off the charts, but they both fought it hard, resulting in a deliciously slow burn. This has a lot of heart and emotion, but it’s balanced with fun banter and plenty of heat, I loved everything about it. This is a standalone, but would be a lovely start to a new series. I’d like to thank the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
