This was such a cute small-town romance. Of course it's not all cute and funny and sparky and sexy - even though it is all that too. But we have some very serious and mysterious moments too - who is trying to frame Van? What's wrong with Billy? What happens when Dillion and Van or only one of them have to go back to their real lives?
I really enjoyed reading this. I love these gossipy small-town vibes! Everybody knows everbody's business. Adorable!
I wish we could've met Van's grandma - she seems like the greatest person!

Can't wait to read the next book!

Oh .. one tiny little thing. Dillion and her brother never met Van when he visited his grandma for two months every summer! His whole life basically. How is that even possible? I just don't understand. If a new kid shows up in the neighborhood - especially the house next door - you're all over that! You'll hang out, play, swim in the lake, ride your bikes around town and by the end of the summer you're all sad but also excited for him to come back next year, right? So weird!

Helena Hunting new series has started with a bang. I love that is a bit of extension of the Pucked series, but contemporary romance. The interconnection is well done and adding layer for the pucked/ all in/ little lies world. Love next door is a fanatastic standalone but adjacent to other great novels. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC

Be ready to escape to a dreamy small town by lake in Love Next Door by Helena Hunting with a sassy heroine and a swoonworthy hero and their late grandmother who left a treasure hunt of love for them in her old cottage. I laughed and smiled and swooned and sighed. It was full of slow burn chemistry and heartwarming feels. The perfect example of romance taking away all my stress and filling my heart with warm cozy feels.

Dillion Stitch wanted nothing but to leave her small town behind and follow big city dreams. But when her brother gets in an accident, she has to move back to help her father in their family construction business. After all, she has no job and no love right now. At the same time, she gets a new neighbour. Donovan Firestone has moved into his grandmother's cottage because Bee ( who is also like a grandmother to Dillion )has left it to him and he has to look after it. His life is full of some scandals those he has no idea of and this small town feels perfect as escape. Dillion and Donovan start on wrong foot and they keep on needling each other. Till they give in to the chemistry. But what about future? What about Van's issues following him to the small town? What about Dillion's dreams?

This is a bit different from usual Helena Hunting books but also the same because she delivered witty banter and nuclear hot chemistry with a bunch of adorable characters! Small town means nose people, caring people, friendly people, meddling people and you can meet the full spectrum here. Dillion is a firecracker. Oh wow I love her sense of humor and how she never backs down in front of any challenge. And Van is just pure book boyfriend perfection. A bit broody. A bit bossy. Whole new level of gorgeousness and charm and flirty goodness. He may belong to a different social strata than Dillion but he has a fair and compassionate heart. Their connection was instant with edge of enemies to lovers hotness. It all started with neighbourly misunderstanding but soon they started a comfortable friendship that began with their mutual love for Bee. That cottage was a total matchmaker. The author threw some twists and turns those added complications and little hearrbreaks. But finally it worked out wonderfully. I cannot wait to be back to this small town because I have an idea who will be next.

Love Next Door by Helena Hunting was an absolutely adorable small town romance that made my heart sing sweet tunes. This was just pure happiness in romance.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Such a sweet and sexy small town enemies to lovers story that I really enjoyed! I loved watching Van & Dillion fall in love and I really appreciated the care that Helena took with writing Billy’s struggles with his mental health.

Love Next Door is a romance with a small town feel with a brief enemies to lovers vibe. Dillon returns to her hometown of Pearl Lake after her brother is arrested and her father needs help with the family business. She never wanted to return, so it is the last thing she wants to do, but her life isn't going that well so she is hoping maybe it will help her family and also provide a reset for her own life. While there, she runs into Van, her neighbor's grandson, who is staying there trying to figure out what to do with the cottage since his grandmother has passed away.

This review is difficult to write. I absolutely loved this author's older work (Pucked series, Clipped Wings series) but have struggled to connect with some of her newer work. Overall I did enjoy this story, but I can usually read a book a day and I found myself often putting my kindle down to not pick it up again until the next day, and in the end I think it took about four days to finish this book. I think it just didn't grab me like I was hoping. I liked Van and Dillon's portion of the story and I think they had some good chemistry, but I feel like there were a lot of other side stories going on that it maybe took away from the overall book, but that is just a thought. I did really like all that Dillon learned about what she thought she wanted in terms of big city and getting away from home, versus what she thought when she came back. I do enjoy this author's writing style overall, and look forward to possibly checking out future books.

Returning home was never part of the plan, when Dillon said goodbye to Pearl Lake it was supposed to be permanent. But then she got a call from home, her brother has been hurt, and they need her help in the family business. Suddenly she finds herself packing up her things and making plans to return to a place she never wanted to see again.

When she arrives she learns that things haven't changed much since she left town, well except for who is living next door. The moment she meets her new neighbor Van a battle ensues, and the sparks start to fly!

Love Next Door is a banter filled swoon-fest that is bound to have you smiling throughout. When you put two feisty characters like Van and Dillon on the pages you are bound to have a lot sparks and battles at every turn. These two returned to Pearl Lake for their families, but they wound up finding something else there that they never imagined... the perfect partner. With every heated exchange, the tension grew, tempers flared, attraction took hold and before long it was more that either could handle.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching these enemies find their way to a happily ever after, their charming story brought many needed smiles and gave the heartstrings a nice little tug! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Love Next Door is the first book in the new Lakeside Series and if Van and Dillion’s story is anything to go by, Ms Hunting will have yet another hit series on her hands.
Dillion has been asked to come home to help with the family business, she never intended coming back to the small town of Lakeside but being between jobs and having nowhere to live she decides maybe a few months back home is just what she needs.
Donovan (Van) has inherited his grandmothers cottage and he has moved to Lakeside to fix it up. Arriving in town has bought so many wonderful memories back but a phone call advising him that money is missing from the foundation he set up in his mothers name soon has him looking to stay longer than expected while an investigation happens. Meeting his new neighbor could be another reason for staying, an instant attraction soon turns to friendship that soon turns to so much more.
This book has all the feels you expect from this very talented author, it’s funny, it has wonderful characters, it’s sweet, it’s entertaining but it’s the residents and their meddling ways that take this read to another level which in turn left me excited for what’s next. I highly recommend all small town romance lovers one click this gem, you won’t be disappointed.

Pearl Lake sounds like a pretty dreamy place...when can I visit? I really enjoyed this first book in the Lakeside series - Pearl Lake and all of its residents captured my attention and I’m ready for more already! Love Next Door is Dillion and Van’s story, both finding themselves making their way to Pearl Lake from Chicago indefinitely.

Dillion essentially ran away from her small town hometown of Pearl Lake after graduation to escape all the small town gossip and closeness. But, after losing her job and breaking up with her boyfriend, when her dad calls her home to help with the family business, she begrudgingly agrees to go back. She’s organized, efficient and is dedicated to helping those she loves. Even though she thought she’d never end up back in Pearl Lake, her family and friends show her what she’s been missing all the years she’s been in Chicago focusing only on work.

Donovan (Van)’s life has been turned upside down from the second he steps into the cottage he inherited from his grandma. The cottage has always held a special place in his heart, but he’s forced to make it his full-time living space, cleaning it out, renovating it and fighting with the next door neighbor - Dillion. Van is trying to adjust to small town living after spending most of his life in Chicago with his disjointed and kind of dysfunctional family. Bee’s cottage represents a fresh start and an opportunity for him to figure out what would make him happy while honoring Bee’s legacy.

Dillion and Van have a complicated relationship - they’ve known each other for years but they didn’t realize it and go from enemies to lovers once they finally have an opportunity to talk through their misconceptions of each other’s motives. But, I think they switched from enemies to lovers really quick...it felt a little abrupt to me. They’re in similar situations in their lives and careers and it connects them on another level. But the thing that really brings them together is Bee and her cottage. Even though she’s gone, Bee is still playing matchmaker for her grandson and her favorite neighbor - they both learn how intertwined their lives have been all along thanks to Bee and it helps to reinforce their relationship. I really enjoyed how they ended up making their relationship work - such a solid example of compromise and not giving up on professional goals or love.

There’s so many characters that were introduced in this first novel and I’m really excited to see who we’ll get to read about next. Looking forward to going back to Pearl Lake already!

Clearly I'm in the minority with this one but I did not like this story. It lacked the Helena Hunting spark I've come to love in her books.

This started out mediocre but then quickly progressed to a dose of blandness with a dollop of fat-free vanilla on top.

Characters

Dillion? A cookie cutter character with no substance whatsoever. The only thing we know about her is that she is the typical small town girl who wanted nothing more than to leave to the city and forget her hometown. Alas, she is forced to come back and discovers it ain't so bad. Bland. She milked this arc from beginning to end and I didn't really see any development in her character.

Donovan was much better and the reason I did not DNF this book so there's that.

Story

What annoyed me the most about this story is that every single red flag was ignored. The characters would have an attitude of, "Oh that's a bit suspicious but oh well!"And then they would go about their day. This happened throughout the story from "Donovan" saying he wanted to sell to Billy and his out-of-character behaviour.

It was frustrating and nonsensical as any person would probe further but not these characters.

Oh and let's not forget about the will being contested since the story conveniently chose to never come back to that piece of conflict. Why put it in if it's not going to be taken any further. Oh wait, it was for the third act conflict and the third act conflict only.

Don't even get me started on the so-called third act conflict. That was hard to read. Not because it was hard hitting but because it was poorly done without any creativity.

Romance

Non-existent. I did not feel it between these two characters. There was no spark. Even their first time together was lacklustre.

Will I continue on in this series? Probably not.

Are you a fan of small town, close proximity romance? You will want to pick this one up for sure. This story is written in a way that will pull you in with its charm, wit, characters and locale.
Dillion and Van had chemistry from their first meeting. Van's confidence and sex appeal is captivating. Van and Dillion's relationship has a rocky start, but it develops so effortlessly. I was engaged with every word. Van is super swoony and brings big feels. The reader can’t help but fall hard for his flirtatious and beguiling ways. Their unique back-stories as well as their walls came down their connection was intense to say the least.

This book has a bit of everything for everyone. It has that small town charm, family drama, a bit of a mystery, and enemies to lovers. The description calls this book a “small-town romance about family loyalty, finding oneself, and falling in love.” That’s true, there is heavy focus on family. However, much of the family drama didn’t quite feel authentic. When a male and female friend are involved, alongside with attraction and lust there is no denying that there will be a physical connection involved. With that being said, the angsty side of it did not do it for me. It wrapped up a little too easily to be honest. For some reason, this story did not 100% resonate with me. I do think the series has potential and typically, I love all the stories written by this author.

Dillion lost her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend and has returned to her hometown of Pearl Lake to help her family business after her brother ends up with a DUI. Her beloved elderly neighbor, Bee, has recently died, and the cottage she left behind is being renovated by Bee’s grandson Donovan. Van is hiding out at his grandmother’s cottage to ride out some family and work drama, and he can’t deny his attraction to the girl next door.

This is the first in a new small town romance series from Helena Hunting. I generally really like her books, but this missed the mark for me. It felt like there were so much story lines — Dillion and her need to fix everything, Van and his work and family drama, the intrigue related to Bee’s will, Billy and the paranoia and substance abuse, small town drama, etc. — and all these threads just didn’t come together in the end. I also thought the two main characters lacked chemistry. Overall, I’d rate this 2.3 to 3 stars.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the early review copy. All opinions are my own.

Settle in for small-town romance at its finest! These characters are relatable, authentic, and perfectly flawed, and you'll want to be BFFs with them. Add in a setting so vivid it transports you there and secondary characters so detailed and lively you'll feel like you know them personally, and you have the setting for an unforgettable read.

It has wit, it has charm, and it has antagonists who may or may not be as awful as they seem at first glance. The story is layered and complex with a energetic and fun pace so there was never a second of boredom. I couldn’t put it down! I adore everything about Dillon and Donovan, and their love is the kind we all hope to find in our own HEA.

This is your next amazing summer read, and one of my very favorite reads this year. Run to the 1-Click and clear your calendar, because this phenomenal store is an absolute must-read!

Helena Hunting sure knows how to write a sexy romance that will make readers squirm with angst and swoon with stars in their eyes. I loved the small town feel of this story and the huge role of family in the story. Family is what brought both Dillion and Van back home, allowing them to finally meet in person. Thank goodness for that - the chemistry between them is off the charts! It starts with a bit of enemies to lovers romance and there's also the forced proximity aspect because they are next-door neighbors. I loved the story and the characters and I look forward to more in the Lakeside series to come.

Dillion moves to her hometown to help her family when her brother gets injured in an accident. She moves reluctantly as she feels like a failure to return home when she had just lost her job. Her new neighbor, Donovan is embroiled in a huge mess and is keeping low staying away from the city. He is accused of stealing three million from his family funded charity organization. With certain misunderstandings, Dillion and Van start off as enemies and slowly become friends. But they constantly have situations that shows their crackling chemistry and they do come together after some major angsty situations.

Overall, it is a fun beach read with warmth and witty banter. The issue for me with Van was that he did not put in much effort to clear his name and just kept chilling. I wish he could have tried a bit at least. He was too trusting of people I guess but it didn't come off as a smart move though. It was a romance along with mystery about who set Van up with the whole stealing mess and what was the motive. Van's dead grandma was a smart woman who controlled the whole plot from her grave in fact. She was sweet too!

This one just didn’t work for me. I wasn’t able to connect with main characters so I couldn’t get invested in the story.

While a quick, easy read (read in one sitting!), I don't think I liked this book as much as I wanted to.

This book has so many tropes that I love: small town, enemies to lovers, second chances. I did enjoy watching Van and Dillion fall for each other; through their neighborly feuds, you knew underneath they were just fighting their attraction to each other.

I don't know if the author was just building background for future books in this series, but the drama with Dillion's brother felt a bit misplaced. I felt there were elements that were thrown into the story just to cause tension and conflict, and not taken with as much care as I would have liked.

Overall, I'd recommend for fans of Twice Shy and Sweet Magnolias!

AT A GLANCE…
steam: 🔥🔥/5
genre: contemporary romance

Helena Hunting can do no wrong - I love everything she writes. Another sweet, small town romance that I would totally recommend to romance fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: death of loved ones (past), grief, DUI/Drunk driving incident (side character), cheating (not MC), blackmail, family tensions, mental health struggles (side character)

I'm a huge Helena Hunting fan but I really struggled to get into this one. There was just a lot going on with both MCs families that really weighed down the romance. At times the romance felt more like the b plot. I enjoyed the small-town romance aspect but I never bought into the enemies to lovers.

The end was a lot of telling how things easily wrapped up well. While the ending was nice that both characters were able to figure out what they wanted I would have loved to see more conversation and trust being built.

Rating: 2.5
Steam: 3

Im conflicted. I ADORE Helena Hunting. Her storyline brings me such happiness and are always so binge worthy.

I did binge this one. I enjoyed this one. I did find it totally predictable though. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing it did take some of the mystery of the story out. As soon as a new concept was introduced I knew exactly where it was going.

I hate even typing this. I love her stories so much but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Thank you Montlake and Netgalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Another knock out by Helena Hunting. I've been a fan for forever and a day. Definitely recommend this great story.