Really Loved this beautiful, sweet small town romance. Couldn't put it down for a second.

Highly Recommend it to all readers.

I really thought this was a sweet, low angst romance and I enjoyed this so much! This was the first book by Chelsea M. Cameron book I had read, but it won't be the last. I have recommended this to a few readers already.

From the point of view of both characters, the story is about two women who came back to their home town for two very different reasons. Their need for a connection and understanding helps them grow as people, both in their own and together.

I loved this story. I literally couldn't put it down and read it half of a day. The one thing I loved about this was the slow burn romance part. I find this difference from other lesbian stories to be more refreshing than the dramatic twists and turns.

This was cute, but didn’t really stand out for me too much. I couldn’t get invested in the story ir characters even though I really wanted to.

This was a decent read. It was light and quick to read. The characters were likable and the overall plot was good. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

DNF

Read about 75 pages, and I was just bored. There was no chemistry, and the voices lacked interest and distinction.

I'll be honest, it took me awhile to finish this book. It started out kind of slow, got better as it moved along, but still didn't leave me feeling wow'd once it was done.

Iris acted a little too young, and I didn't really understand what she hated so much about her hometown. Jude was a little mysterious, almost to the point that it took awhile for us to get to know her.

It's more of a simple read - something that would be good to read while you're at the beach and needing a little quiet reading time.

I generally enjoy Chelsea M. Cameron's books and this was no exception. This was sweet and what I was hoping for. I hope that we get more from Chelsea from Carina Adores and from Chelsea in general. I like the character she develops she does throughout.

I love a good small-town romance and feel like it's hard to find one with LGBTQ rep. This one was so sweet, and I loved reading the romance develop between Jude and Iris. It felt like such as natural chemistry, and I loved how it refreshed a bunch of well-loved tropes.

So this is the one of the first titles of the new Carina Adores line, first announced last year as a new trope-driven LGBTQ+ contemporary romance line. I kinda love that one of the first two books to be launched was a f/f novel.

I've tried other queer self published novels by this author and, while I loved that they were queer, I didn't find them particularly compelling. What I was curious about when I picked this up was whether it would be different reading a book by this author that came through a traditionally published outlet.

I really loved meeting Jude. Jude is a complex character who has experienced loss before and has shut herself up for the last two years, lobster trapping for most of that and basically hiding away from any possibility of the rest of a life.

Then Iris comes to her parents house next door after losing her job and her home and stacking way too much money on her credit cards in an attempt not to head home to Maine and feel like an utter failure because of it.

I think I would have loved this book more if it had been solely from Jude's point of view, but that's mainly because I loved Jude so much more. At the beginning, the two female voices were very similar in tone but, as the novel went on, Jude was just... more. I had a super big book crush on her anyway. By contrast, Iris whined a lot. We spent a lot of time being told through Jude how special Iris was, but I couldn't really see why that was for myself beyond the fact that I had been told.

Special props go to the depiction of Iris' parents. For some reason, even though they were a fairly small part, I found them completely convincing of an older generation couple that had nothing remarkable about them but were loving parents in their own ways.

I liked parts of it, but didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. On the one hand, the pacing is slower than I liked and I didn’t understand why Jude was suddenly all in with Iris. On the other, I liked that there’s a dog named Dolly Parton, the idea of Jude being so muscular really worked for me, Iris is a sweetheart, and Iris’s dad is adorable. So for me, I think this hovers around a B- too. If you’re really into smalltown romances or opposites attract, you might dig this one. If you’re not, then this may not be the book for you.

Full review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-girl-next-door-by-chelsea-m-cameron/

I had high hopes for this lesbian neighbors to lovers smalltown romance, but I have to admit it wasn't my cup of tea. My main issue was really just that I didn't connect to the writing and that made it impossible for me to feel invested in the story. The writing style felt very forced to me, especially the dialogues, and this just kept taking me out of the story. I did enjoy the characters well enough, and I think I would have otherwise enjoyed this book - there were some really great elements, like the dad who reads YA.

This was I think the first book I read from the new Carina Press Adores romance line, which is focused on LGBTQ+ contemporary romance, and this line sounds super promising, even if I didn't enjoy this particular book, so I'll be sure to check out more books in this line! I believe I have two others for review already, and I'm excited to get to them.

This is definitely one of those feel good les fic books. The story revolves around Iris and Jude. Iris left her home town Salty Cove and never came back. That is until her girlfriend left her and the job she was in didn't work out. So, she came back home with her dog in tow and starts to work at her old job she had in high school. When she is letting her dog out at night, she notices her new neighbor, Jude. Jude invites her over in the evenings and Iris is intrigued. However, she will need to help Jude break down the walls she has up if she has any hope for their friendship and maybe more.
I would recommend this.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Next Door is a beautifully written romance about two girls who at first are very reluctant to start a relationship. From the first glimpse Iris gets of Jude after moving back home is already chemistry filled, and there was so much yearning!
I enjoyed everything about this novel - it's very well written, it's character driven, and the romance was so tender. Finding love isn't easy, and sometimes, it's also very hard to just go for it and hope for the best, Jude, especially knew something about this, but she finally realized that she still had the right to be happy.

Iris Turner left Salty Cove, Main the first chance she got, and she’s not thrilled about being back in her hometown and her parents’ house, that is, until she spots the sexy girl next door. Jude Wicks also never thought she’d be back in her hometown, living in her parents old house and working as a lobster hauler, but here she is. Brokenhearted and guarded, she’s reluctant to let Irish into her world. The chemistry is undeniable, however, and a no strings attached affair seems like a good idea, until both parties start catching feelings. Can Jude get over her heartache and let Irish in?

This book was exactly what I needed this week. I’ve had some physical and mental setbacks of my own, and it’s been a taxing week. This meetcute classic romance story was a welcome distraction from the dumpster fire of 2020. It’s relatively short, so if you’re looking for a snack before a longer meal of a book, add it to your tbr. It’s plenty hot, and gave me big summer love vibes, but like, for adults. I’d definitely add it to my tbr for summer reading.

I really enjoyed this cute, little romance, and I love love love that Carina Adores exists. This new branch of Harlequin focuses on queer romances, and I will be picking up most if not all of their books.

You will fall in love with....The girl next door
What a sweet and intriguing book. When Iris is forced to move back home with her parents she never prepared for the girl next door. Jude ended up back home after going through a tragedy, she also never prepared for the girl,next door. When they meet and become friends they both realize it could be more. Pick up this book to see how the story unfolds....you will fall in love with the girl next door!!!

3.5

This is a delightful slow and soft romance. I really enjoyed my time with it.
I found this to be the perfect kind of romance for right now. It's not overly angsty but instead delivers some slow burn pacing. So crockpot romance lovers this is for you!

The setting of Maine was also a total blast as well. Nice change of pace and small town setting perfection.


My dislike mostly came from how slow it was. It dragged for a little bit, and I had some communication issues.

I mean this is the best possible way, but this was the kind of book I could turn off my brain and just enjoy. I really needed a cute little love story without stress and complications that just made me happy. Cute romance, cute dog, cute everything. .

I (Tara) am a Chelsea M. Cameron superfan, so I was excited when Shana asked if I wanted to review this with her. Unfortunately, although there were elements I liked about The Girl Next Door, it ultimately fell a little flat for me. Shana hasn’t read Cameron, but her catnip is small-town romances where a character reluctantly returns to their hometown. She found this a slow, but relaxing read, with squee-worthy heroines, but an occasional overdose of cheesiness.

Shana: I had a huge crush on Jude. I’m a sucker for a strong silent type, and Jude was a sexily mysterious balance to anxious Iris. I don’t always love stories told from a dual perspective, but it worked for me here. Jude’s inner thoughts quickly clarify that her gruffness covers loneliness, and longing. I found the chapters from her POV very peaceful. The idea of being on a boat in the middle of the ocean, alone, sounds luxurious right now. Also, she crochets. Did I mention that?

Full review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/the-girl-next-door-by-chelsea-m-cameron/

Heat Factor: It’s not a crackling fire, it’s a warm glow
Character Chemistry: They start off as mismatched, secretly-attracted friends that grow into something more very slowly.
Plot: The plot here really is the romance and only the romance. Jude and Iris fall in love very beautifully, but if you’re looking for outside forces or exciting context, that isn’t part of this love story.
Overall: This is a very lovely book and I enjoyed it a great deal (even if I longed for more).

Iris is a marketing student who leaves Boston after she finds she’s stuck and unable to afford living there any longer--so she moves home to Salty Cove, Maine, to live with her parents (who are shockingly really happy about it--I don’t see that narrative very often in books). Jude has moved into her parents’ old house since they moved away in retirement. She has something very heavy in her past and the grief of that heavy thing compels her to stay separate from others, work incredibly hard on her small crabbing boat, and live very simply.

Jude kind of hopes Iris will stay away (but of course, not really) and Iris can’t help but bring pie and sunshine over. Before long, Iris starts to unravel Jude’s stark solitude and brings joy and sunshine back into her life--but it isn’t long before Jude puts up some temporary, half-hearted walls.

Ultimately, I really wanted to see some kind of plot unfolding with the community to anchor this love story. There was a lot of potential with the owner of the restaurant and the LGBTQ Community Group, but nothing really created enough pull. It really ended up feeling like the characters were kind of floating in their own separate bubble and while it was a lovely bubble, it wasn’t quite as engaging as it could have been.
However! I’d still be very interested in reading more by Chelsea Cameron.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report (6/10).