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Next to You
Two friends (who are totally not in love) work together to renovate a school bus into a home.
Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is leading nowhere, and simply put, she’s not happy. So after a night out celebrating (drinking) on her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulsive purchase. A giant yellow forty-eight passenger school bus that she intends to make a home.
With little-to-no renovation experience but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt—a mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature.
While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt and Lane have silently agreed that a friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. Matt’s a total family guy with “settle down with me” tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment-averse.
So when Matt offers to help her with the bus and in the bedroom with no strings attached, Lane’s feelings evolve faster than you can say “just good friends.” But she soon discovers that in order to build something new, she has to first heal her past.
Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is leading nowhere, and simply put, she’s not happy. So after a night out celebrating (drinking) on her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulsive purchase. A giant yellow forty-eight passenger school bus that she intends to make a home.
With little-to-no renovation experience but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt—a mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature.
While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt and Lane have silently agreed that a friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. Matt’s a total family guy with “settle down with me” tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment-averse.
So when Matt offers to help her with the bus and in the bedroom with no strings attached, Lane’s feelings evolve faster than you can say “just good friends.” But she soon discovers that in order to build something new, she has to first heal her past.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2022
1273 people are currently reading
71606 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Bonam-Young
18 books10.1k followersHannah is an Amazon bestselling romance author from Ontario, Canada. She lives with her childhood-friend-turned-husband Ben, two kids, and bulldog near Niagara Falls on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.
Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life.
When not reading or writing romance you can find her having living-room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board.
Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life.
When not reading or writing romance you can find her having living-room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,282 reviews
July 30, 2023
3.5⭐️🥹 really anxious girl buys a bus and renovated it! So basically me three years ago except I didn’t have a Matt. MATT WHO IS SO DREAMY AND WHOSE LOVE LANGUAGE IS ACTS OF SERVICE AND BASICALLY ID DO ANYTHING FOR THIS MAN.
October 27, 2024
4.5 stars
Next to You was such a great read. After reading the first book in this series, I was so excited to read more from this author. I enjoyed this just as much as the first.
Lane and Matt are friends. They are the singles of their friend group and they both like each other, but Lane isn't sure she wants to go there or if she's ready to have any kind of relationship. But Matt is hard to resist.
I love a good cinnamon roll hero and Matt was pretty darn perfect. The way he helped build the bus with her, introduced Lane to his favorite books, and was just there for her. I adored him. I loved seeing Lane's growth and by the end, I was so dang proud of her.
Friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine (she's the grump) and just an all around fantastic read.
Next to You was such a great read. After reading the first book in this series, I was so excited to read more from this author. I enjoyed this just as much as the first.
Lane and Matt are friends. They are the singles of their friend group and they both like each other, but Lane isn't sure she wants to go there or if she's ready to have any kind of relationship. But Matt is hard to resist.
I love a good cinnamon roll hero and Matt was pretty darn perfect. The way he helped build the bus with her, introduced Lane to his favorite books, and was just there for her. I adored him. I loved seeing Lane's growth and by the end, I was so dang proud of her.
Friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine (she's the grump) and just an all around fantastic read.
January 28, 2023
a random book about two friends who are definitely not in love with each other and a bus has made me cry like a baby
2023 is my year 🤠
2023 is my year 🤠
March 12, 2024
Next to You is an emotional and warm romance following two friends, Matt and Lane as they get even closer working on Lane's skoolie bus conversion. Hannah Bonam Young has a way with words! It blows my mind how emotional books can make you and let me tell you, I definitely ran through a box of tissues... or two. Every moment of this book was like a warm embrace, the deep topics and emotional moments perfectly balanced the sweet and steamy relationship between Lane and Matt. Matt is by far one of my favorite book boyfriends, the acts of service and words of reassurance he constantly offered Lane was like a balm on my heart that tethered my love for this book even deeper.
Read If You Like:
🚌Friends to Lovers🚌
🚌Cinnamon Rolls MCs🚌
🚌Queer Rep🚌
🚌Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine🚌
🚌He Falls First🚌
🚌Friends W Benefits🚌
🚌Found Family🚌
🚌Mental Health Rep🚌
🚌Slow Burn Romance, Fast Lust🚌
Read If You Like:
🚌Friends to Lovers🚌
🚌Cinnamon Rolls MCs🚌
🚌Queer Rep🚌
🚌Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine🚌
🚌He Falls First🚌
🚌Friends W Benefits🚌
🚌Found Family🚌
🚌Mental Health Rep🚌
🚌Slow Burn Romance, Fast Lust🚌
May 21, 2024
4 'Manamea' stars
Hannah did it again with another heartfelt, exquisite, painful, inspiring and wholesome story. One of the best 'friends to lovers' book I have ever read and it also has friends with benefits trope which is not my thing but the way Hannah used both the tropes — it was perfect. You give her any trope and she can write a hell of a book from it.
Hannah has easily become my favourite author. I'm in love with her easy yet exquisitely writing. Her story-telling and the way she writes her soft and the complicated characters with so much efficiency is perfect. I also loved that there was bisexual representation, anxiety and PTSD representation. She portrayed grief and healing in such a realistic way and I liked how it wasn't something that happens in one day or one week. I also loved the found family trope with the friends and Matt's family and the representation of Samoan culture through Matt's family. Matt's family was the sweetest and it was so endearing to see them all together and the way they loved each other and how they accepted Lane in their family was so adorable.
➸ Lane
I absolutely loved her and I felt connected to her character and her anxiety about life, decisions and future. Lane may be a successful person who is living a better life but she's just an anxious girl who never moved on from her past. She's very impulsive and takes decisions just based on how she feels in that certain moment (that's so me lol). I loved how she was outspoken about her feelings and fears with Matt and how she can't do relationships and that she needed time to be her better version, not just for herself but for him as well. I absolutely loved her character development and how she accepted that she needed to move on from her father's death and how she can only do so if she accepts that she also deserves love and happiness in life.
➸ Mattheus
The perfect man doesn't exists? Wrong because Matt exists. Matt is thoughful, caring, sweet, kind-hearted, selfless, a bit grumpy, protective, patience and just... perfect. He's such a cinnamon roll with a hopeless romantic heart and would do anything in his power to make you feel comfortable. He reads, he loves classics, he recommends you books, he watched Lane's recommended movies and even reviewed them, he wrote fifty seven letters when he's apart from the girl he loved, he gifted Lane a worrying doll made by his own hands because he knew she was a very anxious person, he takes her to meet his family and treats her like his family, he's everything we want from a real man but real men are a disappointment. And he calls her 'Manamea' 💘🦋 This just melts my heart every damn time.
╰┈➤ Lane and Matt
The romance was tender, charming and hot. I'm not a fan of friends with benefits concept but this book is an exception. I loved that trope in this and mostly because Lane and Matt didn't started hooking up until 40% of the book. They were friends, definitely flirting with each other every day and night, teasing each other, helping each other with the bus renovations and Matt's work and they were infatuated with each other but they only started hooking up after they realised or more like Lane realised that Matt was flirting with her for over a year. They were also outspoken about their feelings, about the new FWB development in their friendship and like a perfect guy Matt accepted everything Lane offered.
It took Lane some courage and a lot of time to accept her true feelings but I was glad how Matt was there for her everytime. He gave her the time she needed to figure out her life and fears about accepting love and happiness. Their communication is one of the special part about their friendship. They never hid their ugly parts from each other. The way Matt was willing to wait for her and he might have even waited for her forever because he's just like that. They are so perfect for each other.
The ending was perfect. I hate third-act breakups but this book had a genuine one and Matt and Lane needed it to spend some time apart for Lane to figure out the drama and everything with her sister and her family. The epilogue was the cutest! I also gobbled up every chloewarren crumbs in this book and Willow calling Warren 'DADDY' just made my day! I love them so much 🥺❤️
“Fuck, I miss you. You’ve ruined me. Do it again.”
Hannah did it again with another heartfelt, exquisite, painful, inspiring and wholesome story. One of the best 'friends to lovers' book I have ever read and it also has friends with benefits trope which is not my thing but the way Hannah used both the tropes — it was perfect. You give her any trope and she can write a hell of a book from it.
“Are you flirting with me?” I ask. Or at least I think I do.
His soft, single laugh surprises me. “For over a year now. Thanks for noticing.” He kisses next to my ear.
Hannah has easily become my favourite author. I'm in love with her easy yet exquisitely writing. Her story-telling and the way she writes her soft and the complicated characters with so much efficiency is perfect. I also loved that there was bisexual representation, anxiety and PTSD representation. She portrayed grief and healing in such a realistic way and I liked how it wasn't something that happens in one day or one week. I also loved the found family trope with the friends and Matt's family and the representation of Samoan culture through Matt's family. Matt's family was the sweetest and it was so endearing to see them all together and the way they loved each other and how they accepted Lane in their family was so adorable.
➸ Lane
I absolutely loved her and I felt connected to her character and her anxiety about life, decisions and future. Lane may be a successful person who is living a better life but she's just an anxious girl who never moved on from her past. She's very impulsive and takes decisions just based on how she feels in that certain moment (that's so me lol). I loved how she was outspoken about her feelings and fears with Matt and how she can't do relationships and that she needed time to be her better version, not just for herself but for him as well. I absolutely loved her character development and how she accepted that she needed to move on from her father's death and how she can only do so if she accepts that she also deserves love and happiness in life.
“Sometimes it feels like everyone else has a script, and I’m doing improv.”
➸ Mattheus
The perfect man doesn't exists? Wrong because Matt exists. Matt is thoughful, caring, sweet, kind-hearted, selfless, a bit grumpy, protective, patience and just... perfect. He's such a cinnamon roll with a hopeless romantic heart and would do anything in his power to make you feel comfortable. He reads, he loves classics, he recommends you books, he watched Lane's recommended movies and even reviewed them, he wrote fifty seven letters when he's apart from the girl he loved, he gifted Lane a worrying doll made by his own hands because he knew she was a very anxious person, he takes her to meet his family and treats her like his family, he's everything we want from a real man but real men are a disappointment. And he calls her 'Manamea' 💘🦋 This just melts my heart every damn time.
“I promise to love you forever. Simple as that. My love will not always be perfect. I won’t always be kind; I won’t always be generous; I won’t always be rational—but I will love you every single day I have on this earth. And I will tell you I love you with my words and with my actions.”
╰┈➤ Lane and Matt
The romance was tender, charming and hot. I'm not a fan of friends with benefits concept but this book is an exception. I loved that trope in this and mostly because Lane and Matt didn't started hooking up until 40% of the book. They were friends, definitely flirting with each other every day and night, teasing each other, helping each other with the bus renovations and Matt's work and they were infatuated with each other but they only started hooking up after they realised or more like Lane realised that Matt was flirting with her for over a year. They were also outspoken about their feelings, about the new FWB development in their friendship and like a perfect guy Matt accepted everything Lane offered.
“God, Lane, you’re going to eat me alive.” His hazy, flustered laugh is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.
“Problem?” I ask, tugging his lip between my teeth.
“No. Destroy me if you must.”
It took Lane some courage and a lot of time to accept her true feelings but I was glad how Matt was there for her everytime. He gave her the time she needed to figure out her life and fears about accepting love and happiness. Their communication is one of the special part about their friendship. They never hid their ugly parts from each other. The way Matt was willing to wait for her and he might have even waited for her forever because he's just like that. They are so perfect for each other.
“I can't help the warm breeze of comfort that washes over me when Matt laughs. Every time I solicit one from him, it feels like winning a gold medal-and he hands them out frequently. Far more often than most.”
The ending was perfect. I hate third-act breakups but this book had a genuine one and Matt and Lane needed it to spend some time apart for Lane to figure out the drama and everything with her sister and her family. The epilogue was the cutest! I also gobbled up every chloewarren crumbs in this book and Willow calling Warren 'DADDY' just made my day! I love them so much 🥺❤️
January 16, 2023
I just wanted to be the first one to rate it.
January 28, 2024
dnf @ch10, 30% mark.
a book purely driven by tropes and not character depth and development is obviously gonna be B.O.R.I.N.G. the chemistry between the characters is pretty much non-existent, and matt is trying to be too perfect. like a character with literal zero flaws who says all the right things -even when it's not needed- to the point he has started to come off as a reader pleaser. it's all too superficial for my liking.
lane's inner monologue is so cringe oh god. she's a girl who has never seen the world outside of twilight and pop culture. the whole bus buying situation was so laughable like??
tho sometimes i did relate to her inner turmoil. and with the loss of her father, i can see where she's coming from; but at the same time, there were so many instances where i couldn't get her reactions.
thus i felt it was better to dnf rather than get bored to death.
*my first hannah bonam-young book*
(should have started with out of the limb, ugh!)
a book purely driven by tropes and not character depth and development is obviously gonna be B.O.R.I.N.G. the chemistry between the characters is pretty much non-existent, and matt is trying to be too perfect. like a character with literal zero flaws who says all the right things -even when it's not needed- to the point he has started to come off as a reader pleaser. it's all too superficial for my liking.
lane's inner monologue is so cringe oh god. she's a girl who has never seen the world outside of twilight and pop culture. the whole bus buying situation was so laughable like??
tho sometimes i did relate to her inner turmoil. and with the loss of her father, i can see where she's coming from; but at the same time, there were so many instances where i couldn't get her reactions.
thus i felt it was better to dnf rather than get bored to death.
*my first hannah bonam-young book*
(should have started with out of the limb, ugh!)
March 27, 2023
TW for death of a loved one
OB.SESSED. Seriously. I love friends to lovers and this was friends to lovers PERFECTION. I was obsessed with Matt from the moment we met him. Lane and Matt meet on new year's eve, share a kiss, and immediately friend zone each other for over a year. Lane is going through an existential crisis and decides on a whim to buy a bus and asks for Matt's help to renovate it. One road trip later and the two realize they've both been harboring feelings they didn't know the other one had too..
Matt is seriously the sweetest and swooniest hero EVERRR. I love how sweet he was and how hard he had already falling for Lane. Their dynamic was just so cute and this romance was just so cozy. I loved the scenes with both of their families and watching Lane learn to trust herself with love. There was a lot of emotional depth to this book, too, and a lot of personal healing both characters had to do. I was a bit annoyed with the third act break up, but how they made up was totally worth it! Definitely read this book if you haven't yet!!!
OB.SESSED. Seriously. I love friends to lovers and this was friends to lovers PERFECTION. I was obsessed with Matt from the moment we met him. Lane and Matt meet on new year's eve, share a kiss, and immediately friend zone each other for over a year. Lane is going through an existential crisis and decides on a whim to buy a bus and asks for Matt's help to renovate it. One road trip later and the two realize they've both been harboring feelings they didn't know the other one had too..
Matt is seriously the sweetest and swooniest hero EVERRR. I love how sweet he was and how hard he had already falling for Lane. Their dynamic was just so cute and this romance was just so cozy. I loved the scenes with both of their families and watching Lane learn to trust herself with love. There was a lot of emotional depth to this book, too, and a lot of personal healing both characters had to do. I was a bit annoyed with the third act break up, but how they made up was totally worth it! Definitely read this book if you haven't yet!!!
January 2, 2025
5⭑
This is probably the best friends to lovers book I have EVER read. It was incredible. The way this made me feel every single emotion is insane, I mean I cried happy and sad tears so many times throughout this book.
Next to You follows Lane and Matt, who met through mutual friends (Chloe & Warren from Next of Kin) and formed a very fast friendship.
Lane decides one day that she wants to renovate an old school bus into a home and ropes Warren into helping her.
Together they start spending even more time with each other and we get to see the great transition from friends to friends w benefits😉 to lovers and it was executed so well!
The relationship development was very well paced and did not feel rushed whatsoever. For me, their transition from friends to lovers was so natural and realistic.
I loved how different they are from each other but have that opposites attract vibe about them - Lane; a grumpy, pink haired badass bisexual and Matt, a literal golden retriever who falls head over heels for Lane and would do anything for her.
This book also touches on grief, anxiety and PTSD and was written incredibly well. Honestly, I was in tears by the end of the book.
I originally read it on KU but loved it so much I ran to amazon to get myself a physical copy so I can reread it and annotate. I can’t wait to revisit their story🥹😭
This is probably the best friends to lovers book I have EVER read. It was incredible. The way this made me feel every single emotion is insane, I mean I cried happy and sad tears so many times throughout this book.
Next to You follows Lane and Matt, who met through mutual friends (Chloe & Warren from Next of Kin) and formed a very fast friendship.
Lane decides one day that she wants to renovate an old school bus into a home and ropes Warren into helping her.
Together they start spending even more time with each other and we get to see the great transition from friends to friends w benefits😉 to lovers and it was executed so well!
The relationship development was very well paced and did not feel rushed whatsoever. For me, their transition from friends to lovers was so natural and realistic.
I loved how different they are from each other but have that opposites attract vibe about them - Lane; a grumpy, pink haired badass bisexual and Matt, a literal golden retriever who falls head over heels for Lane and would do anything for her.
This book also touches on grief, anxiety and PTSD and was written incredibly well. Honestly, I was in tears by the end of the book.
I originally read it on KU but loved it so much I ran to amazon to get myself a physical copy so I can reread it and annotate. I can’t wait to revisit their story🥹😭
April 1, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ HBY is so hilarious
April 10, 2023
After thoroughly enjoying the author’s debut, I had high hopes for the second book in the series. It started off strong but then the characterization got shaky and things started making less sense and continued in that vein until we hit some very problematic content. Every chapter got worse after that. I implore authors to hire sensitivity readers. So many of these issues could have easily been avoided.
Things I liked:
-Matt carved her a worry doll.
-Lane’s friends all chip in to buy the paint for her bus.
Things that did not work for me:
-As someone who has struggled with agoraphobia, I did not like the mental health representation at all. Obviously people can have different experiences but the diagnosis was basically dropped not even halfway through. Agoraphobia doesn’t just disappear. It would be amazing if it did.
-Lane has apparently never been in therapy. It shows. How is she being prescribed medication for an anxiety disorder and not also being encouraged to see a counselor? (Warren is the only one of her friends who tells her to see someone. Team Warren, major friend fail to everyone else.) (She does eventually )
-The reason Lane is commitment-phobic makes no sense. I’ve never known anyone in real life or my former work as a bereavement counselor who opted out of romantic love because a parent died. To get to that kind of self-protective measures, there’s usually other trauma involved or repeated experiences.
-Related: so she’s never going to fall in love…but she still has friends and talks to her sister and mom. What’s with elevating romantic love above all others? Her friends and family will die someday and she will grieve those losses. So why isn’t she protecting herself against that? Again: it makes no sense. I thought maybe, just maybe that could be part of her agoraphobia but nope.
-Matt was too perfect. He was there to meet Lane’s every need without any thought for himself or what he might want. He tells Lane to be selfish, as if she’s not already the most selfish person in the whole book. But he didn’t seem like he was a people pleaser or a martyr; he only needed to be needed by Lane. I didn’t get what he saw in her because she literally did nothing to be a good partner to him. She just took and took and took. I wish the author had spent more time on character-building than her trope list.
-Most egregiously, this included the Magical Samoan trope. Matt’s Samoan mother who experienced traumatic loss as a teen talks to Lane about how Samoans approach grief. She then leaves Lane to have some time to herself outside where Lane has a mystical experience and talks to her dead father’s spirit and hears him answer back through wind, thunder, and rain. I can’t even begin to unpack all that.
-Then we find out Lane’s Mom is dating her grief therapist. I about imploded. It tries to get around the ethical violation by saying she didn’t confess her feelings until her last session and he said he’d think about it…before then starting to date her. But the only thing he needed to think about was how to let her down. He needed to be stripped of his license. Immediately. Mental health professionals cannot date their clients. This was not treated as a serious violation and I hated it.
-We ended on one of my pet peeves:
There were more issues than this but I decided to just focus on the big ones. Please see Charlotte’s comprehensive review for more details.
Characters: Lane is a 27 year old bisexual white graphic designer. She has a rabbit named Simone. Matt is a 27 year old biracial Samoan Canadian mechanic. This is set in Canada.
Content notes: Magical Samoan trope, agoraphobia, anxiety, panic attack, ableism, biphobia, near car accident, primary ovarian insufficiency , fear of flying, past death of FMC’s father (car accident), past death of MMC’s mother’s family (fire; mom then lived with grandma until she died of cancer), secondary character’s fiancé is controlling and bigoted , professional ethics violation (FMC’s mom is dating her grief counselor; he should be stripped of his license), food commentary by secondary character, slut-shaming by secondary character, secondary character trying to lose weight to fit into her wedding dress, insomnia, transgender secondary character, secondary character uses wheelchair, vomit, family planning discussion (epilogue), unsafe sex practices (unprotected sex without discussion of STI prevention; she has an IUD), on page sex, car sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, past underage drinking, STD joke, ageist joke, erectile dysfunction joke, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language
*Buddy read with Charlotte and Vicky.
Things I liked:
-Matt carved her a worry doll.
-Lane’s friends all chip in to buy the paint for her bus.
Things that did not work for me:
-As someone who has struggled with agoraphobia, I did not like the mental health representation at all. Obviously people can have different experiences but the diagnosis was basically dropped not even halfway through. Agoraphobia doesn’t just disappear. It would be amazing if it did.
-Lane has apparently never been in therapy. It shows. How is she being prescribed medication for an anxiety disorder and not also being encouraged to see a counselor? (Warren is the only one of her friends who tells her to see someone. Team Warren, major friend fail to everyone else.) (She does eventually )
-The reason Lane is commitment-phobic makes no sense. I’ve never known anyone in real life or my former work as a bereavement counselor who opted out of romantic love because a parent died. To get to that kind of self-protective measures, there’s usually other trauma involved or repeated experiences.
-Related: so she’s never going to fall in love…but she still has friends and talks to her sister and mom. What’s with elevating romantic love above all others? Her friends and family will die someday and she will grieve those losses. So why isn’t she protecting herself against that? Again: it makes no sense. I thought maybe, just maybe that could be part of her agoraphobia but nope.
-Matt was too perfect. He was there to meet Lane’s every need without any thought for himself or what he might want. He tells Lane to be selfish, as if she’s not already the most selfish person in the whole book. But he didn’t seem like he was a people pleaser or a martyr; he only needed to be needed by Lane. I didn’t get what he saw in her because she literally did nothing to be a good partner to him. She just took and took and took. I wish the author had spent more time on character-building than her trope list.
-Most egregiously, this included the Magical Samoan trope. Matt’s Samoan mother who experienced traumatic loss as a teen talks to Lane about how Samoans approach grief. She then leaves Lane to have some time to herself outside where Lane has a mystical experience and talks to her dead father’s spirit and hears him answer back through wind, thunder, and rain. I can’t even begin to unpack all that.
-Then we find out Lane’s Mom is dating her grief therapist. I about imploded. It tries to get around the ethical violation by saying she didn’t confess her feelings until her last session and he said he’d think about it…before then starting to date her. But the only thing he needed to think about was how to let her down. He needed to be stripped of his license. Immediately. Mental health professionals cannot date their clients. This was not treated as a serious violation and I hated it.
-We ended on one of my pet peeves:
There were more issues than this but I decided to just focus on the big ones. Please see Charlotte’s comprehensive review for more details.
Characters: Lane is a 27 year old bisexual white graphic designer. She has a rabbit named Simone. Matt is a 27 year old biracial Samoan Canadian mechanic. This is set in Canada.
Content notes: Magical Samoan trope, agoraphobia, anxiety, panic attack, ableism, biphobia, near car accident, primary ovarian insufficiency , fear of flying, past death of FMC’s father (car accident), past death of MMC’s mother’s family (fire; mom then lived with grandma until she died of cancer), secondary character’s fiancé is controlling and bigoted , professional ethics violation (FMC’s mom is dating her grief counselor; he should be stripped of his license), food commentary by secondary character, slut-shaming by secondary character, secondary character trying to lose weight to fit into her wedding dress, insomnia, transgender secondary character, secondary character uses wheelchair, vomit, family planning discussion (epilogue), unsafe sex practices (unprotected sex without discussion of STI prevention; she has an IUD), on page sex, car sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, past underage drinking, STD joke, ageist joke, erectile dysfunction joke, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language
*Buddy read with Charlotte and Vicky.
August 20, 2024
If Hannah Bonam-Young is writing it...I am reading it! Never before have I highlighted or tabbed a book but I am already planning a reread so I can do just that with this one.
The dedication alone had me sold:
"This one is for all of us criers. For the ones who seem to feel nothing or everything all at once.
For anyone who's trying to build a life where constant.
distraction doesn't feel so necessary."
The story of Lane & Matt is so precious & you will instantly fall in love with these characters.
•Friends to lovers
•He falls first
•Mental health
•Found family
•Healing from past trauma
& coming to the realization that you are worthy of loving...and being loved!
"Have you ever gone to a fair and been in a room of prank mirrors? Because being in therapy feels like going into that room, looking at every warped version of vourself-shorter wider, stretched out, squiggly, and squashed-then finding out the mirrors weren't prank mirrors at all.
That's just what you look like. Every weird, awkward, gross part of you is on display, suddenly so obvious."
4.5 stars
The dedication alone had me sold:
"This one is for all of us criers. For the ones who seem to feel nothing or everything all at once.
For anyone who's trying to build a life where constant.
distraction doesn't feel so necessary."
The story of Lane & Matt is so precious & you will instantly fall in love with these characters.
•Friends to lovers
•He falls first
•Mental health
•Found family
•Healing from past trauma
& coming to the realization that you are worthy of loving...and being loved!
"Have you ever gone to a fair and been in a room of prank mirrors? Because being in therapy feels like going into that room, looking at every warped version of vourself-shorter wider, stretched out, squiggly, and squashed-then finding out the mirrors weren't prank mirrors at all.
That's just what you look like. Every weird, awkward, gross part of you is on display, suddenly so obvious."
4.5 stars
February 14, 2024
Better than the previous one, but no fireworks. I will just keep rereading Out on a Limb while eating pizza. (This author mentions pizza a lot.)
That’s the review, no other review to come. Nothing to see here, go eat pizza.
3,5 stars
That’s the review, no other review to come. Nothing to see here, go eat pizza.
3,5 stars
July 21, 2023
Next to You made me bawl my eyes out while hiding from my kids so I could finish it. Please be mindful of the triggers that the author mentions because she does a really excellent job representing these sometimes sensitive topics and it creates an emotionally impactful story. I struggled with Lane (h) at first and it took me a while to realize that part of my issue with her was that her character reminded me of people and situations that made me personally uncomfortable. Once I leaned into that a bit, and as she began to show growth and change, I ended up cheering her on and appreciating her more positive qualities. She was creative, caring, and spontaneous. Her dedication to turning her spur of the moment bus purchase into something magical was extra fun. Matt (H) was such an easy character to love and a nice contrast to Lane with their different strengths and interests. Lots of reviews mention how amazing he was and he really was a favorite hero. He was a marshmallow who could also be goofy, sort of old fashioned in some ways, but a bit of a dirty talker, and he was willing to tie himself into knots for his friends and esp Lane. I also liked that he was a mechanic and just generally good with his hands.
This is a slow burn romance where Lane and Matt have a moment at a New Year's Eve party and then a year and a half later, they've developed a close friendship, although both are attracted to the other. Lane's kind of messy and not looking for a serious relationship so when they do cross their friendship line, it's a no strings attached agreement with some steamy content included. But they're oh so attached to each other in actuality and things need to come to a head for Lane to be able to move forward and family stuff is also brewing. I loved the positive therapy representation and the focus that you have to put in work sometimes to be healthier emotionally and mentally, that it's also a process that doesn't necessarily have an end point where you're "better". The story is written in first person, single POV of h except for the epilogue which was H's POV (and I'm glad I didn't have H's POV throughout because I loved him so much that I'm pretty sure if I'd had some of his inner thoughts in certain moments, I would have been too mad at the h, which wouldn't have been fair). No ow/om drama (the h does go on a date with om and it's a flop and neither wants to think of the other dating) and neither are virgins (the h is bi and it's been almost 2 years I think since she was with anyone; not much is given on the H and I got the impression he was celibate since meeting her but I don't think it was explicitly stated).
The supporting characters are mainly the friend group that was introduced in book 1 and I enjoyed seeing all of them. There's also Lane's mom and twin sister and some of Matt's large, loving family. The side characters offered advice, sometimes a bit of angst, and a couple provided the catalyst for a bit of conflict too. There is a brief separation and it was one of those heart-wrenching moments that had me wiping my eyes constantly. It was also a time where the friends and family were supportive and loving.
I loved the grand gesture and how these two come back together in a healthy and strong way. I loved the last chapters, they elevated the book for me after a somewhat slower start and my earlier frustrations with Lane. This author's writing style isn't fully for me, but her characterizations and plot lines stepping outside of some of the regular tropes make for fantastic reading. The epilogue is a couple years down the road with them in love, married, and happy, but also a little emotional about some news. Thank you to the author for leaving them where they were at the end with the hopefulness of what they want for their family but the completeness of them together.
This is a slow burn romance where Lane and Matt have a moment at a New Year's Eve party and then a year and a half later, they've developed a close friendship, although both are attracted to the other. Lane's kind of messy and not looking for a serious relationship so when they do cross their friendship line, it's a no strings attached agreement with some steamy content included. But they're oh so attached to each other in actuality and things need to come to a head for Lane to be able to move forward and family stuff is also brewing. I loved the positive therapy representation and the focus that you have to put in work sometimes to be healthier emotionally and mentally, that it's also a process that doesn't necessarily have an end point where you're "better". The story is written in first person, single POV of h except for the epilogue which was H's POV (and I'm glad I didn't have H's POV throughout because I loved him so much that I'm pretty sure if I'd had some of his inner thoughts in certain moments, I would have been too mad at the h, which wouldn't have been fair). No ow/om drama (the h does go on a date with om and it's a flop and neither wants to think of the other dating) and neither are virgins (the h is bi and it's been almost 2 years I think since she was with anyone; not much is given on the H and I got the impression he was celibate since meeting her but I don't think it was explicitly stated).
The supporting characters are mainly the friend group that was introduced in book 1 and I enjoyed seeing all of them. There's also Lane's mom and twin sister and some of Matt's large, loving family. The side characters offered advice, sometimes a bit of angst, and a couple provided the catalyst for a bit of conflict too. There is a brief separation and it was one of those heart-wrenching moments that had me wiping my eyes constantly. It was also a time where the friends and family were supportive and loving.
I loved the grand gesture and how these two come back together in a healthy and strong way. I loved the last chapters, they elevated the book for me after a somewhat slower start and my earlier frustrations with Lane. This author's writing style isn't fully for me, but her characterizations and plot lines stepping outside of some of the regular tropes make for fantastic reading. The epilogue is a couple years down the road with them in love, married, and happy, but also a little emotional about some news. Thank you to the author for leaving them where they were at the end with the hopefulness of what they want for their family but the completeness of them together.
February 10, 2023
i really wanted to like this more than i did. i mean the writing was good, the storyline was good, i just did not connect with the characters… at all.
April 24, 2024
This is the greenest flag that I have ever seen! 🫶🏻✨
"Fuck, I miss you. You've ruined me. Do it again. "
Matt is the definition of perfect. He listens. He get's things done. He reads. He puts thought behind his gifts. He is patient. He is teaching her to be selfish. He is there when she wants him to be, and he gives her space when she asks him to.
"I know how to wait my turn. If it's me you need, I can give it to you. If it's space you need, it'll hurt, but you can have that too. I can wait." 🫂
Lane, on the other hand, is funny, a little bit quirky, and fighting anxiety and her social battery. I love her. I will protect her.
This was THE perfect rom-com. It was funny, lighthearted at times, and emotional at others. There was no stupid, unnecessary conflict or third-act breakup just for show. It felt real, entertaining, super cute, romantic, did I mention funny? and overall, the perfect length.
I loved to see Warren, Chloe and Willow from Book #1 pop up as side characters; still "Next to You" has to be superior to "Next of Kin" (for me personally), because I was able to relate more to the characters, and Matt was just THE cutest ❤️
Some more quotes:
🖌️ "I don't actually smoke, but in the interest of equality, I take a ten-minute break every few hours, as my co-workers might." - Honestly, inspirational!
🖌️ "I don't know if you've noticed, but we seem to have this dynamic where you ask for something, and I take care of it."
🖌️ "The moment he's outside, he spins on his heel and mimes scoring a touchdown." So fucking wholesome 💗
4.5 stars rounded up ✨🫶🏻
………………………………………………
Other ratings and reviews of books by Hannah Bonam-Young:
⫸ Next of Kin (4 ⭐)
"Fuck, I miss you. You've ruined me. Do it again. "
Matt is the definition of perfect. He listens. He get's things done. He reads. He puts thought behind his gifts. He is patient. He is teaching her to be selfish. He is there when she wants him to be, and he gives her space when she asks him to.
"I know how to wait my turn. If it's me you need, I can give it to you. If it's space you need, it'll hurt, but you can have that too. I can wait." 🫂
Lane, on the other hand, is funny, a little bit quirky, and fighting anxiety and her social battery. I love her. I will protect her.
This was THE perfect rom-com. It was funny, lighthearted at times, and emotional at others. There was no stupid, unnecessary conflict or third-act breakup just for show. It felt real, entertaining, super cute, romantic, did I mention funny? and overall, the perfect length.
I loved to see Warren, Chloe and Willow from Book #1 pop up as side characters; still "Next to You" has to be superior to "Next of Kin" (for me personally), because I was able to relate more to the characters, and Matt was just THE cutest ❤️
Some more quotes:
🖌️ "I don't actually smoke, but in the interest of equality, I take a ten-minute break every few hours, as my co-workers might." - Honestly, inspirational!
🖌️ "I don't know if you've noticed, but we seem to have this dynamic where you ask for something, and I take care of it."
🖌️ "The moment he's outside, he spins on his heel and mimes scoring a touchdown." So fucking wholesome 💗
4.5 stars rounded up ✨🫶🏻
………………………………………………
Other ratings and reviews of books by Hannah Bonam-Young:
⫸ Next of Kin (4 ⭐)
July 3, 2024
This book made me start to think friends to lovers might not actually be the worst trope…
June 4, 2025
I feel like it's a crime to give this anything less than a 5 🤌 and on top of that, I haven't handed out a 5 in YEARS. What have I even gotten myself into? Maybe I should lower it... ?😭😭😭
update: dropping it to a 4.5
I've committed a crime, yes. I'm really sorry my dear book, but you need to be tested once more ❤️🩹
---
pre-read
friends-to-"idiots"-to-lovers.
yes, please.
update: dropping it to a 4.5
I've committed a crime, yes. I'm really sorry my dear book, but you need to be tested once more ❤️🩹
---
pre-read
friends-to-"idiots"-to-lovers.
yes, please.
May 27, 2024
I think about this book daily, and it’s about time I add this to my “all time favourites” list. Next To You absolutely exceeded my expectations, which were HIGH after reading Hannah’s other 2 books. I loved this so much I read it in one day. Lane is such a relatable character, and her story with Matt is filled with so many beautiful moments! 💖
November 29, 2022
Not me saying I’ll read a few pages and then curling up in bed and devouring the whole thing. Like. Wow. Wow wow wow. I laughed and I cried and I want to marry them both. Stunning.
May 31, 2023
5⭐️ 2.5 🌶
This book was EVERYTHING!!!! A friends to lovers novel about finding happiness after loss that from front page to end page leaves you smiling, laughing and crying with these characters.
Seriously Hannah Bonam-Young has easily become a new favourite author for me, her writing and story telling mixed with the representation she gives in her books is PERFECTION & Everyone must experience them!!!!!!
In the story we have Lane who’s feeling lost in life and known to be a tad impulsive, she buys a bus and her amazingly hot but just friend Matt enthusiastically signs on to help her.
OMFG these two had me swooning, drooling and shedding tears!! Matt is literally boyfriend goals, the way he’d go to the end of the world for lane without question and the things he would say, I was frothing at the mouth! And the spice was perfect for this book, like the build up to it, I was dying of anticipation!
Please read this is your want a romance book with the most tender hearted moments!!!!!
This book was EVERYTHING!!!! A friends to lovers novel about finding happiness after loss that from front page to end page leaves you smiling, laughing and crying with these characters.
Seriously Hannah Bonam-Young has easily become a new favourite author for me, her writing and story telling mixed with the representation she gives in her books is PERFECTION & Everyone must experience them!!!!!!
In the story we have Lane who’s feeling lost in life and known to be a tad impulsive, she buys a bus and her amazingly hot but just friend Matt enthusiastically signs on to help her.
OMFG these two had me swooning, drooling and shedding tears!! Matt is literally boyfriend goals, the way he’d go to the end of the world for lane without question and the things he would say, I was frothing at the mouth! And the spice was perfect for this book, like the build up to it, I was dying of anticipation!
Please read this is your want a romance book with the most tender hearted moments!!!!!
May 20, 2023
He calls her Manamea🫠🫠🫠. I am unwell. That’s it, that’s the review.
**Manamea translates to: favourite person, dear, darling, sweet-heart, lover.❤️
OH AND she called her renovated school bus home: “Benedict Cumberbus”. I mean… come ONNNN… it’s genius. Absolutely genius *beep beep*.
**Manamea translates to: favourite person, dear, darling, sweet-heart, lover.❤️
OH AND she called her renovated school bus home: “Benedict Cumberbus”. I mean… come ONNNN… it’s genius. Absolutely genius *beep beep*.
September 18, 2023
miss this is me trying meets the lover boy 😭😭😭😭😭😭
she's my favorite author officially because for the first time i LOVED a friends to lovers 🧿
It’s like I can feel time moving around me, but it’s not happening to me.
honestly i don't even have anything to say. i am a Lane. so i cried and cried and cried while reading this....
she's my favorite author officially because for the first time i LOVED a friends to lovers 🧿
It’s like I can feel time moving around me, but it’s not happening to me.
honestly i don't even have anything to say. i am a Lane. so i cried and cried and cried while reading this....
December 16, 2022
DNF at 63%, here's why:
- I strongly dislike when the main conflict of the novel is based in the main character's abysmally low self-image, which leads to self-sabotage. The main character's severe anxiety is an important part of this plot, which I can appreciate from an inclusion perspective, but which I don't particularly enjoy in a novel.
- The relationship between the male and female main characters was not believable. It was hard for me to understand what about the female main character was so alluring to the male main character. IMO, he was too good for her, and it was uncomfortable to see him treating her like a queen and making sacrifice after sacrifice for her when she didn't seem like she deserved it or ever thought about returning the favors. Honestly, if I were him I would have friend zoned this chick a long time ago and found someone more confident, fun, and less selfish. He sounds like a catch.
- I find the "mutual pining because we don't want to kill our friendship" trope super cringey.
Nonetheless, I made it all the way to 63% so there must have been something keeping me hanging on that long.. I just can't remember what.
- I strongly dislike when the main conflict of the novel is based in the main character's abysmally low self-image, which leads to self-sabotage. The main character's severe anxiety is an important part of this plot, which I can appreciate from an inclusion perspective, but which I don't particularly enjoy in a novel.
- The relationship between the male and female main characters was not believable. It was hard for me to understand what about the female main character was so alluring to the male main character. IMO, he was too good for her, and it was uncomfortable to see him treating her like a queen and making sacrifice after sacrifice for her when she didn't seem like she deserved it or ever thought about returning the favors. Honestly, if I were him I would have friend zoned this chick a long time ago and found someone more confident, fun, and less selfish. He sounds like a catch.
- I find the "mutual pining because we don't want to kill our friendship" trope super cringey.
Nonetheless, I made it all the way to 63% so there must have been something keeping me hanging on that long.. I just can't remember what.
October 29, 2022
Remember that time (yesterday) when I fell for Next Of Kin? The characters, the amazing storyline, well, everything really ...
So here's the thing. I fell ever harder for Next To You! Swoon level x100!! EVERYTHING about this book had me feeling ALL the feels. It was just so fucking beautiful!
Have I just discovered my new favorite indie author? Yes, yes I think I absolutely have! I look so forward to adding this paperback to my shelf next month!
Thank you SO much Hannah for writing these phenomenal stories! I feel such a deep love for these characters.
So here's the thing. I fell ever harder for Next To You! Swoon level x100!! EVERYTHING about this book had me feeling ALL the feels. It was just so fucking beautiful!
Have I just discovered my new favorite indie author? Yes, yes I think I absolutely have! I look so forward to adding this paperback to my shelf next month!
Thank you SO much Hannah for writing these phenomenal stories! I feel such a deep love for these characters.
February 25, 2024
-ˋˏ 4 stars
I cried too much during the last 50% of the book it was concerning. Matt's family was a DREAM. I got jealous of Lane at one point because she got to be in Fetu's perfect dozen 😩
Romance was enjoyable and it was mostly because of Matt. Because that man?? UNREAL. I also loved Lane even though she frustrated me at times. Overall I liked their love story, I just loved the family stuff more!
But Matt >>>
“So whenever I think of you, I inhale for a long ten seconds, soaking in the moment, and then exhale all my love for you out into the ether, hoping you’ll feel it somehow.”
I cried too much during the last 50% of the book it was concerning. Matt's family was a DREAM. I got jealous of Lane at one point because she got to be in Fetu's perfect dozen 😩
Romance was enjoyable and it was mostly because of Matt. Because that man?? UNREAL. I also loved Lane even though she frustrated me at times. Overall I liked their love story, I just loved the family stuff more!
But Matt >>>
“Fuck, I miss you. You’ve ruined me. Do it again.”
October 19, 2023
4.5 stars 🥹
January 25, 2025
Bringing this review back around because everyone needs to read this one! This is my favorite novel by her to date and it’s chronically under read!
As a single gal who has watched friend after friend find love, this book resonated with me on such a personal level. It can be so difficult to be surrounded by couples and people building families and not feel like you’re being left behind. I am always happy for them, of course, but that does not mean it’s always easy to be content and not feel lonely.
This story was raw and emotional and made me tear up on more than one occasion. HBY masterfully crafts characters that feel as real as you or me. I have only read two of her books and I’m already ready to claim her as one of my favorite romance authors. It’s wild to me that this isn’t even her most read or highly rated book?!
And Matt?! Oh my gosh I am obsessed with that teddy bear of a human. Where do I find a Matt? If I head to Facebook Marketplace to purchase a bus, will one appear? 😜 Based on the initial description of him I would have said he was not my type, but he certainly is now. When a book redefines your perfect man, you know it’s worth the read. If you have not yet read Hannah Bonam-Young’s work, do yourself a favor and immediately add her to your TBR. I promise you will not regret it!
As a single gal who has watched friend after friend find love, this book resonated with me on such a personal level. It can be so difficult to be surrounded by couples and people building families and not feel like you’re being left behind. I am always happy for them, of course, but that does not mean it’s always easy to be content and not feel lonely.
This story was raw and emotional and made me tear up on more than one occasion. HBY masterfully crafts characters that feel as real as you or me. I have only read two of her books and I’m already ready to claim her as one of my favorite romance authors. It’s wild to me that this isn’t even her most read or highly rated book?!
And Matt?! Oh my gosh I am obsessed with that teddy bear of a human. Where do I find a Matt? If I head to Facebook Marketplace to purchase a bus, will one appear? 😜 Based on the initial description of him I would have said he was not my type, but he certainly is now. When a book redefines your perfect man, you know it’s worth the read. If you have not yet read Hannah Bonam-Young’s work, do yourself a favor and immediately add her to your TBR. I promise you will not regret it!
December 30, 2024
4.25⭐️ definitely better than the first book, loved the characters, and as a diy girlie myself who once had dreams to renovate a van (hence why i bought the book😅) i personally really liked it!
yeah i didnt care for how drawn out it was, idk why it just fell a little boring at times otherwise it would be five stars. and theres a taylor swift reference so i had to dock a point just for that dont come for me, as well as the third act breakup was nothing special. if you’re gonna do one, make it a little more interesting at least, but overall a good book.
also it was unintentionally a decent read for new years!
yeah i didnt care for how drawn out it was, idk why it just fell a little boring at times otherwise it would be five stars. and theres a taylor swift reference so i had to dock a point just for that dont come for me, as well as the third act breakup was nothing special. if you’re gonna do one, make it a little more interesting at least, but overall a good book.
also it was unintentionally a decent read for new years!
May 3, 2024
3.5⭐️
Hannah knows how to write the perfect cinnamon roll of a man. Matt was everything! And that epilogue??
Hannah knows how to write the perfect cinnamon roll of a man. Matt was everything! And that epilogue??
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