The Proximity Effect

by Maya Nicole

Getting stuck in a snowdrift and watching my red thong take flight into a pine tree was not how I imagined starting my honeymoon. Then again, I also hadn't imagined starting it alone.

When I saw the heart-shaped bed in the honeymoon suite (totally not on the website) and was served microwaved bacon for breakfast (how dare they), I knew this trip was going downhill faster than my dignity after face-planting on the bunny slope.

The cause? Three gorgeous former best friends who inherited way more than they could handle.

So, naturally, I offer to run the restaurant when their entire staff quits.

There were supposed to be professional boundaries, but when our sizzling chemistry threatens to melt all the snow—and my heart—I start to wonder if my honeymoon might not be such a waste after all.


The Proximity Effect is a spicy winter romance standalone where the main character falls in love with three men. It is not connected to any other books.

Genres: Why Choose, Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Workplace, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2025

About the author

For an updated list of books visit my Amazon author page or my website.

https://www.mayanicole.com

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Reviews

[Cat H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.
This was really cute.
I adored the ‘word vomit’ moments of humor.
I would have liked a bit more in the relationship department. What we got was good. But it did feel like we got cut off at the beginning of the middle, and then the epilogue showed us the end…18 months later.
Not my favorite type of epilogue. I prefer for the settling to happen in the last chapter, and then have the epilogue be years later to see how everything is doing after.
It was still a fun read though.

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Proximity Effect by Maya Nicole is a spicy, snowy romantic comedy about a woman named Tessa whose life takes an unexpected turn when her honeymoon goes off the rails: stuck in a snowdrift, facing microwaved bacon for breakfast, and stranded at a quirky resort owned by three former best friends who inherited more than they can handle. What begins as a chaotic solo honeymoon quickly transforms into a story of forced proximity, steaming chemistry, and heartfelt growth as Tessa offers to help run the resort’s restaurant and slowly finds herself drawn into something far more meaningful than she ever anticipated. This standalone reverse harem rom-com blends humor, heat, and emotional moments in a wintry setting that supports both laughter and connection.

Stepping into this book felt like turning onto a cozy mountain road full of unexpected laughter and warming tension, with Tessa’s hilarious inner monologue and “word vomit” moments making me genuinely smile even on tougher pages. I was especially charmed by how distinct Archer, Evan, and Liam felt as individuals: Archer’s gruff edges hiding thoughtful layers, Evan’s playful optimism, and Liam’s adventurous spirit each added flavor and depth to the group dynamic.

What moved me most was how the story portrays healing from past wounds and opening your heart again, not just romantically but personally and creatively as Tessa rediscovers her passion for cooking and resilience after a painful breakup. While some parts lean more toward lighthearted fun than deep emotional exploration, I found the balance of humor, spice, and growth refreshing and easy to relish.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I adored how this story made me laugh, swoon, and feel genuinely invested in its quirky characters; I am giving it four stars because, for me, a little more time on emotional depth and relationship evolution would have elevated it even further. Overall, this is a joyful, heart-warming read that left me smiling well after the last snowy page.

[Arenia]

DNF. Idk why I keep picking up romance books labeled romcoms because they all seem susceptible to oops-I’m-so-clumsy-and-I-can’t-stop-word-vomiting-and-I-literally-can’t-go-ten-seconds-without-the-universe-fucking-with-me FMCs and plots. Clearly some people enjoy this vibe, but I’m definitely not one of them.

[MsRHReviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Maya Nicole's books. All of the characters have their flaws, but it makes them more real, more relatable. Nobody is perfect, and while some books write some characters that way, Maya is not one of them. However, they do all have their charms!

I really enjoyed the FMC, Tessa. She has the worst case of verbal diarrhea that anyone has ever seen. She's sweet, genuine, and has aspirations to become a chef of her own restaurant, despite what her ex-fiance thought. 

The three new owners of the resort she booked were making a mess of things. Formerly friends, they didn't get along at all, and each had different ideas for the place, none of which were really working. Thankfully meeting Tessa cracked the walls that they built around themselves, and between her and letters from their deceased friend Gavin (who left them the resort in the first place), they figured out how to work together and dedicate themselves to the resort. 

As much as I love this author's writing and other books, I found this one lacking much plot. If you want a super simple, sweet, fluffy read with no complications, this is great. If you want something with some depth... this might miss the mark a bit. It's all about the characters working things out and steamy scenes. At one point, her ex makes an appearance, but the book wouldn't have even changed if he hadn't been written in at all. It was supposed to show us how much Tessa changed, how she was able to stand up for herself, and not worry about his feelings, but I didn't get much of that. Also, the owner of "Sweet Cheeks?" I thought we'd see him again after it was hinted he had a connection with Gavin, but I was a bit saddened that we didn't.

All in all, it was still a sweet, fairly funny book. Again, it's definitely more on the fluffy side with no real plot or complications. 

[W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk, it was ok in the beginning but then it fell into the all too common contemporary romcom trope of trying way too hard to make “witty banter” which really grated on my nerves, the relationships between them and her and them and each other never felt fully developed for me and I never felt like they resolved what went wrong between them. Especially the fact that it was specifically a woman. If it had been anything else it would be at least a little more understandable but they have this decade long fall out because of a woman and then randomly they meet a girl while they’re still hardly speaking to each other and decide “yes, this is a good idea, nothing further needed here” like come on. And then randomly bringing in the ex fiancé? If he was going to cause trouble like bringing in lawyers to destroy them or something or trying to make them thing she was getting back with him so they break up with her at least it would be a plot point, add to the tension, but he came, had like two minor scenes, and then left? It made no sense to me and was weird. The epilogue also was weird to me, her family is there and no mention of how she’s in a relationship with three guys, her dad’s just walking her down the aisle.

[Laurie Reads Reverse Harem · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF @ 35%

I feel bad - this is a fluffy contemporary and if I had been in the right head space, I would have finished this book but I cannot when my mind wants violence and I didn't realize until it was too late!

To be honest, if I had continued reading this book - it would have been a 2-3 star. So, I will leave a 3 star rating because it isn't the authors fault!

[Valérie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honnêtement, je ne m’attendais pas à grand-chose de cette histoire d’une auteure que je ne connaissais pas. La couverture me plaisait, le résumé était attirant et je cherchais une lecture détente. Et je reconnais avoir passé un très bon moment.

Si on fait abstraction des scènes de smut très chaudes et détaillées - d’un autre côté, je savais à quoi m’attendre -, les personnages sont vraiment très drôles. Notre héroïne est une jeune femme qui dès qu’elle est nerveuse a une vraie diarrhée verbale et cela entraine des dialogues très fun avec ses trois futurs amants. Ces derniers se connaissent depuis des années, mais se sont éloignés les uns des autres après un une dispute. C’est le quatrième de leur équipe qui les a réunit en leur léguant son hôtel afin qu’ils perpétuent son héritage mais surtout qu’ils se réconcilient.

C’est certes une histoire sexy, mais les péripéties des quatre protagonistes valent le coup.

[Christi Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

No stress here. Easygoing, lighthearted, and at times very funny. Lots of spice.

Would have liked a little more tension, or conflict, but sometimes its just nice to have an easy read with a happy ending.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much better than the emma Foxx book. Characters were fun, setting and situation was all unique and well written. Forced proximity snowstorm always a favorite 😍 ❄️🔥

[Kellyann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Kate McDougall Sackler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet love story about friendships and hearts repaired. Finding your passions and falling in love. It was hilarious.
Wheels10

[Maya Nicole]

Now available here: The Proximity Effect

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I think I just propositioned three men for group activities while discussing professional boundaries. Professional boundaries seem to be the group motto that is code for “we’re not going to be professional at all.””

✔️MFMM why choose romance
✔️winter romance
✔️jilted bride FMC
✔️former best friends MMCs
✔️forced proximity
✔️low angst
✔️no 3rd act breakup

3.75⭐️ rounded up

Sometimes you just need a low angst character driven story, and this fit the bill for what I was looking for when I picked it up. Tessa’s (FMC) ex decided to call off the wedding out of the blue so she went on the honeymoon (that she booked) alone and found way more than she bargained for — a new job and three men (Liam, Evan, and Archer) who have some issues to work out but can all agree that she is special and will change their lives for the better. This is a fairly short read for a why choose romance (though still definitely novel length), so there isn’t a ton of deep relationship development here given that there are four relationships to explore. I would say that there is more individual character development than relationship development, but it all ends on a sweet HEA and I didn’t walk away from the book feeling like much if anything was missing.

Tessa tends to ramble when she is nervous or uncomfortable, but I found it endearing more than anything, though I could see some readers not loving that aspect of her personality. Speaking of personalities, I appreciate that each of the guys are a different person and they each bring something different to the dynamic. It was interesting watching them go from barely tolerating each other to working though their drama and becoming best friends again. I wouldn’t call this an enemies to lovers or former friends to lovers, because none of the guys are together romantically but similar dynamics are at play here. Overall this was a fun, middle of the road, low drama and low angst story and I enjoyed it.

[charlotte౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

── .✦ 3 stars.  
⤷possible spoilers ahead!⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆

➴ my thoughts.
this was a very relaxed, easygoing read. it’s light, playful, and occasionally pretty funny, with plenty of spice throughout. there isn’t much tension or real conflict in the story, which might feel a bit flat for some readers, but honestly sometimes it’s nice to read something uncomplicated that simply ends happily.

for a why-choose romance, the book is on the shorter side, so the relationships don’t get a huge amount of depth. with four love interests involved, it’s hard to fully explore every connection in detail. the story seems to focus a little more on the individual growth of the characters rather than building each romance slowly, but by the end everything still comes together in a satisfying way.

tessa was an interesting main character. she tends to talk a lot when she’s nervous or uncomfortable, which could probably annoy some readers, but i actually found it kind of charming. it gave her personality and made her feel a bit more real. i also liked that each of the guys felt distinct from one another. they all bring different energy into the group dynamic, which keeps things from feeling repetitive.

one thing i enjoyed was watching the guys move from barely getting along to eventually rebuilding their friendship. there’s tension between them at first, but over time they work through it and become close again. it’s not exactly enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers since their connections are different, but there’s a similar sort of emotional shift happening.

ᢉ𐭩 .ᐟ all in all, this was a fun, low-angst romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously. it’s not the most emotionally complex story, but it’s an enjoyable and easy read with a sweet ending.

[Booktrovert_reads_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read everything Maya has written so when this one surprised me ON release day I dropped everything to read it! She writes some of the best why choose books and I was so excited for this one.

After her fiancé called off the wedding….while she was glazing a ham…Tessa decided to go on her honeymoon trip anyway. Unfortunately her resort is nothing like she expected since it’s recently found itself under new ownership. After some horrible meals she finds herself in the kitchen doing what she loves, and before long she finds that she loves the owners too!

This one is quirky at times with Tessa “accidents” and Evan trying to redecorate a resort & give menus a special flair. He seems to be the only one who wants to run the resort from the beginning. Liam and Archer get on board pretty quickly though when they start imagining running it with Tessa.

I absolutely loved the relationship between these four. However, I think what I took away from this more than anything was what the different stages of grief can really look like for different people and also what it sometimes takes to really forgive yourself and others. Getting to experience all of that while also feeling all warm & cozy reading a romcom was so nice. I’m not sure if that’s what she was going for when she wrote this book, but I am grateful to Maya for it either way!

[Vallene Boddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Proximity Effect by May Nicole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶🌶🌶💀
A recently departed lost friend's wish heals a friendship between three friends and gives one woman a beautiful future.
Tessa, fresh from being dumped on Christmas finds herself stuck in the snow on her way to her unhoneymoon. However things go topsy-turvy only to be rescued by a tall stranger, Archer. Turns out the ⅓ owner of the resort. Tessa's unique verbal spew leave Liam and Evan ⅔ flustered in their meetcutes. They are head over heals for this chaos bubble that floats in and absolutely destroys their carefully built walls.
An absolute swoonworthy why choose romance filled with laugh out loud moments as much a cringeworthy moments. Quirky fmc, grumpy mmc, cinnamon roll flirt mmc and the control freak mmc they create an entertaining read.
Tropes:
No 3rd act breakup. Ex fiance. Close proximity. Winter ski resort. Romcom. Spicy. Best friends. HEA. Why choose.
Quotes:
...the Perpetually Embarrassed Avengers. PEA for short. Our nemesis would be small talk and social grace.

“Better than okay.” Her lips curved into a smile that could light up the darkest corners of my soul, and damn if I didn’t want to see that expression on her face every day for the rest of my life.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Tessa. Life is not being very kind to her, at all. But it seems fate has some things in store for her. She has a great sarcastic sense of humor. Her habit of verbally word vomiting is hysterical. You never really know what is going to come out and I think sometimes it surprises her as much as the people around her.

The guys had a lot of growth through the story which I really appreciated. Archer seemed like such a jerk when we first meet him. That doesn't change a whole lot through the story, but it's not because he is a jerk, just a control freak. Hah. Evan has the golden retriever energy. He is adept at hiding his feelings, pain, and hurt behind jokes and smiles. Liam is a surprising combination of both of them. He isn't controlling but he can be serious and kind of stoic like Archer but also flirty and fun like Evan. Together they make a well rounded group of guys. They each have their strengths and it shores up any weaknesses they each have.

Was a great rom-comish story about forgiveness and finding your own happiness, whatever that may look like. I loved it!

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Reverse Harem
*Contemporary
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Rom-Com
*Forced Proximity
*Snow Resort
*Jilted FMC
*MMCs on the out
*Mid Burn
*Established Harem (3)
*Standalone
Amusing Read
This story follows Tessa and the debacle she faces after being jolted but decides to go on the lucrative snow resort honeymoon by herself….and honestly chaos ensues 🤣 the resort is being ran by three former best friends who are all like chalk and cheese but are trying to run the resort at the bequest of their friend who passed 😖 Archer is uptight and struggles to let go but has a mischievous side hidden very deep; Liam is a grump and would prefer to be outside away from people yet cares deeply; then Evan is the childlike dreamer who can see the situation for what it really is and the hope there is 🥰 Tessa nervous babble is hilarious and makes her endearing along with her commitment to live her life, and being snowed in with these men allows her to fulfill her dreams and teach them something about forgiveness and moving forward 😆

[Linzie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 (it starts around 30% in)
MFMM - no actual MM but swords may touch 😅
Jilted bride on her honeymoon for 1
Forced proximity- got to love a snow storm
Chance to rebuild tarnished friendship.
Grief of a friend (MMCs former best friend passed off page)

Literally ate this book up! The banter between the FMC and MMCs is exactly what you expect from a Maya Nicole book. This is meant to be a fun and fluffy romance an easy read with a little angst and tension but the spice is still spicing!
I thoroughly enjoyed how all 4 of these characters were processing their own issues and hold ups while the others worked to bring down one another walls without really realizing what they are doing, well maybe except for Evan (Our golden retriever).

Another 5 star from me and I cannot wait for her next book 🩷

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

❄️ Why-Choose
🍽 RomCom
❄️ Multiple POV
🍽 Forced proximity

This was a fun & light-hearted romance. Don't let that fool you tho, the spicy was fire (3.5/5🌶)!

The things Tessa goes through on the first day at the resort are hysterical. I think while the book is mainly light-hearted.. it does a good job of showing that everyone handles grief differently. I enjoyed how all four of these characters were dealing with their own issues/hold-ups while helping the others tear down their walls without really trying to.

I do think the ending of the book was a little rushed. I feel like they all just got on the same page and all of a sudden it was the end of the book. I wish we would have got more details on their relationship and how they end up running the resort.

Overall, this was a cute & short Why-Choose RomCom 😊

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that caught my interest was the creative chapter name they are funny and intriguing, making me want to read this book.


Tessa is taking her honeymoon alone. She is now stuck in the snow at the driveway of Sterling Pines Resort. She is a damsel, a hot mess, and had horrible luck, but it is funny to read . Of course, Archer saves her by giving her a ride. Of course, the resort is a winter fantasy. Of course, Archer isn’t just somebody; he is a manager at the resorts.


This is a book that will have you giggling and kicking your feet, and well, maybe thinking about food . Tessa is a Chef, as well, but not everything in this resort is up to par. So Evan , Archer, and Liam are running this mountain resort but have a forced proximity and stuck thier clause as well. In the meantime, the resort is failing because they cannot agree on anything .


I like that the characters are midlife and each has their own personalities. Tessa is funny; her sarcasm is fabulous. Evan is the charmer , Liam is serious but lovable, and Archer is the grump perfectionist.


The story gets steamy and not just in the kitchen . Things start to heat up with both Archer and Liam, and we can’t forget the hot tub with Evan. While each of them gets their chance with her, and they are all different, does adding her to the mix really help their strained relationship?


Oh archer is a bad boy, not just an uptight businessman. And I’m here for it. The reverse harem in this book is hot enough to light a kitchen on fire . I love. Tessa's genuine awkwardness and rambling make the story so fun to read and laugh at.


I love the ending of the story with them choosing each other, and those vows were swoony . Yes, this contains a lot of smut, but it was a great winter read as well, heartwarming and light, but also inspiring.

[Booklover04📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fun & Spicy Getaway!

Okay, so I just finished The Proximity Effect, and wow, what a ride! This is a spicy romantic comedy standalone reverse harem, and it definitely delivered on the fun. The premise is hilarious – our heroine gets dumped just before her wedding and decides to take the honeymoon solo at a gorgeous snowy resort.
Naturally, hilarious mishaps lead her right to the three hot guys who run the place. The characters were really entertaining, and the plot kept things moving. While maybe the chemistry didn't quite give me all the swoons, I appreciate how this author writes more realistic reverse harems. Overall, I truly enjoyed it and absolutely recommend this book and author! Definitely keeping an eye out for more.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but felt there was a lot missing, for me I needed more on the growth of their relationship, and how the boys overcame their previous conflicts that had them not talking to each other for 10 years!

After quite a few spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ scenes everything was fixed and they were planning a full life together after just a couple weeks. I get that romance novels aren’t real life, however I just felt like once they finally did the dead that was enough for happy ever after, which to me just isn’t enough. There was so much more that could have been explored. Even the ex turning up seemed to be more of an opsie moment than issues being resolved. 🤷‍♀️

On saying that, I did enjoy this quick, easy read.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Ice Inquiries

I don’t think I’ve ever read a FMC that has a worse case of verbal diarrhea.

Tropes

- Why Choose
- Pierced MC
- Group Activity
- Forced Proximity

Light, fun, and seriously silly at times this book was a joy to read. The FMC is so charming and strangely levelheaded for someone who seemed so outta luck. I felt like I was agreeing with all of her choices. Of the three MMCs I think my favourite would be Evan. Big hearted and full of good spirit, he would make any activity fun. While afraid of his own feelings doesn’t stop him from encouraging others with theirs. I might read her other books when I’m feeling in a slump because overall this was a fun story.

4/5 ✨
4/5 🌶️

[Holly Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi all, some context for how I rate my reads. I am someone who will read pretty much anything, I am open minded, I have no triggers and like a diverse range of themes, but my biggest bug bear is something that is poorly written or badly edited.

My Kindle Book Ratings:
5 stars - I read it, I loved it and would read it again and purchase a physical copy.
4 stars - I read it and I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to read it again.
3 stars - I read it but struggled to finish it and definitely wouldn't pick it up again.
2 stars - Didn't finish it, gave up half way through because it was just not good or didn't engage me enough.
1 star - Didn't finish it, so badly written that I barely made it past the first chapter.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, entertaining read

This was a fun, light read. There was some great humor--I just loved the FMCs nervous word vomit. So cute and endearing. The three MMCs are distinct characters, which in my experience, some reverse harem stories struggle with. The spice was there without being completely overwhelming. I love a story with communication and low angst and this hit perfectly.
My one small complaint is the introduction of Ava (FMCs best friend perhaps?) almost 50% of the way through the story with no introduction or explanation of who she was or their relationship with each other.

Overall, it was a cute, light, quick read! Loved it!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed book, it was funny, had good feels and the spice was yummy 💋. A few parts dragged a little but overall decently written. Evan was too much like an overactive toddler but Archer and Liam were well written. I loved Tessa and her word vomits, absolutely hilarious. My favorite part of the book was: "Sometimes we convince ourselves that the safe choice is the right choice. But safe doesn't always mean happy". I like it when a book can make me stop for a deep thought session, especially this time because its so true.

[Valarie Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story

The Proximity Effect by Maya Nicole is a hilarious, steamy rom-com with forced proximity, sizzling chemistry, and plenty of chaos. Stranded on a solo honeymoon, the heroine takes over a struggling restaurant and finds herself entangled with three ex-best friends—grumpy Archer, playful Evan, and thrill-seeking Liam. With witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and undeniable romance, this book is a fun, fast-paced read. Perfect for fans of quirky, feel-good love stories!

[Beth C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt rushed

I love the RH genre. I prefer a medium o mesiumslow-burn, but fast burn are good too. But this book just didn’t do it for me. It got better in the last third to last quarter of the book, but the majority of it was kind of “meh”. I think maybe because there was no emotional connection with the characters until deep into the book. Maybe they needed more of a backstory clarification earlier in the book, or just more character and relationship ledevelopment. It wasn’t bad, just a little boring initially.

[Tina Dudek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great why choose read.

Tessa was funny. Loved her word spewing and inappropriate dialog that had me laughing out loud several times. Evan was endearing and charming. Liam is adventurous but charming too. Archer was alpha and serious, but deeply caring.

The story did not have a ton of depth. It was a fun, light read. A perfect little soul soothing fairy tale like feel for when life is chaotic and dark. A lovely palette cleanser to make you wish you were a chef stumbling into three hungry, hunky men.