Love Next Door

by Egypt Cynaé

She went next door to scream at him. She ended up moaning underneath him.

Abril Severs swore off men the day she found her ex-fiancé at the altar with another woman. One year later, she’s upholding her promise—no flings, no drama, and no arrogant, tattooed, sexy neighbors who blast music at ungodly hours. But when she storms next door to confront July Maxwell, she doesn’t expect to find him in a compromising position and herself as a voyeur.

She should’ve looked away, but she couldn’t. She should’ve walked away, but she didn’t.
July has relegated women to one purpose in his life after his ex-fiancée ripped his heart out and tossed it in the trash. So, when his feisty neighbor wanders into his house with attitude and a body made for sin, he does the only thing he can—extend a personal invitation to his private party.

Abril gets more than she bargained for between tangled sheets and sinful cravings when July tugs at her no-strings rule and quickly unravels it. Two broken vows. One scorching attraction. Zero possibility they’ll make it out untarnished.

Genres: African American Romance

131 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2025

Reviews

[Toya Davis-Stokley]

Both Abril and July were done dirty by their exes and are looking for healing, and a new start. They meet and find out they are next door neighbors. The attraction is there immediately, but neither are looking for anything serious after the trauma, they just endured. However, a benefits situation looks pretty good!

July was an easy-going guy, who would go with the flow. Abril enjoyed July's company, but was still apprehensive about anything more, as she was still so heartbroken from the previous relationship. She got on my nerves a bit, not giving July the benefit of the doubt when issues arose, but he took it all in stride. It was only a matter of time before that rouse of the friends with benefits, would turn into real love. Cute read. 👍🏿👍🏿

['The Book Queen']

A whole lot of loving

July and Abril spent a lot of their time getting to know one another. It was a short love story with many emotional acts between this couple.

[Nikita]

3.75⭐️

[Keesha]

Looks like a cupcake will put you through the counter, the couch, the balcony, the ocean, etc. Abril is annoying but July is worth the read.

[Keisha Renny]

I can’t stand the FMC.

[Courtney]

Abril and July were both recovering from heartbreak when they ended up being neighbors. July got on Abril's nerves as a neighbor but it was clear beneath all of that she was really attracted to him. Soon they entered into a friends with benefits situation where July caught feelings quick and Abril spent the entire time trying to run from hers. No matter how much she ran July had no problem chasing her down and helping her accept that with him was where she belonged. They were a beautiful couple who was also very spicy! Such a good read!

[Valencia Michelle]

This was a pretty decent read.

Abril had broken up with her boyfriend 3 months ago, only to find out that it was now his wedding day, to another woman. She refused to believe it without seeing it for herself and low and behold he was at the altar starting his life with someone else.

A year later she still had not gotten over him. Her next door neighbor, July was already getting on her nerves. From the moment he moved in, there was drama. He and his "baby mama" arguing, him playing loud music, she was over it.

July was handsome and seemed to be kind but she took issue with the way he treated his baby mama, only to find out that he hadn't fathered any children. She started to soften her stance on him but the loud music led her into his home unannounced and eventually into his bed.

What she thought was going to be a friends with benefits situation turned into so much more because July wasn't letting up.

[Melise]

Idk I feel like the romance was barely touched. Abril was a dramatic bird but I’m glad her and July made it work. I struggle when authors want us to feel for a heartbroken FMC but show us nothing about the previous lover to make sense of the distress our FMC is going through. I also despise the way some of her 🌶️🌶️ scenes are narrated, they give porno vibes and I hate that. The dialogue is never refined and freaky it’s always some kinda tacky line “Ima get this 🍑” like idk what the obsession with anal is but it’s not an Egypt book without a cringy line about anal. Like I get it people are into it but as a reader it’s like nothing about this is sexy “Tight virginal 🍑” like pleaseeeee man the story was okay but there was no follow up on Bri’s situation like call the cops enough is enough.

[Pam B]

When I tell you this one had me ready 🫠 ! Egypt gave me exactly what I wanted with this neighbors-to-lovers romance — chemistry, banter, sex, and just enough drama to keep me tapping pages. Abril worked my nerves at first, she knew she wanted JULY ! Shoot we all did !

The push and pull between Abril and July was cute but once they started that F Buddy arrangement I was hooked. Let's not forget the support characters, them friends made brief appearances, but loved all of their bonds.

Egypt Cynaé knows how to make romance feel fun and relatable. If you’re into a little next door neighbor drama turning into the love story you didn’t see coming, this is your next read. There is also a few steamy scenes that were too relatable for me. 💕

[Ruby]

July and Abril!!

This book was sooooo adorable and sooooo good!! July and Abril both were just coming out of bad relationships when they became neighbors. I was happy when they got together and experienced another chance at love. They were able to heal each other and find happiness all at the same time. July's ex got on my last nerve. She just couldn't take no for an answer even though she was dead wrong with how she treated July. I loved both July and Abril's friend groups. Both groups were able to find their own love interests because of July and Abril. Great book from beginning to end!!

[Ieshia Shephard]

Love Next Door

Abril & July!!!! Mannnn. My girl was beyond passive in my opinion. Ain’t no way she should NOT have crashed out in the beginning but even with decorum she should’ve at least stood up against Briana cause she saw she could get her once she done it again & almost caused her everything. July couldn’t catch a break once Bri showed up but he still ended up with the prize in the end! The love & patience he showed was commendable but he also let Bri slide too too much for me so I was mad for that! That maintenance man deserved a 2 piece & a biscuit cause wtf??? I love the elements of the old school vibes throughout that made me feel good!

[Cammie]

just wow!! amazing work.

This is a nice and different pace away from the gangsta/hood books that I love to read lol. (nothing wrong with those.) Anyhoooo.

Whew!! Those *** scenes were piping, written nicely to where it paints a good picture in your head. Abril and July were both done dirty by the people they love. Abril by the man she had an on and off again relationship, to July and his ex-fiancée sleeping with another man. Neighbors turned fwb now finding love. UGH!! I love it, these two were so cute together, their friends were a huge help in that. Glad they found each other.

I’ll definitely be reading something else from Egypt again. 👏🏼

[Phaze]

July and Abril

This was a quick read.

Abril Lear s through her friend that her off and on again boyfriend was getting married. She thought they were just on a break. A year, she is picking up the pieces and avoiding romantic connection.

July/JuJu learned that his fiance cheated and with child...lol. He knows he deserves better and backs up and leaves.

Abril and July end up living in that same complex he likes what he sees, and she thinks that all men are the same.

After some time, she govesin to her attraction, and they begin a relationship without a title. There are a few bumps along the way, but it is resolved.

I enjoyed this read.

[Nickey]

July!!!!

If I would’ve knew the boy next door woulda been you 🤭🤭🤭
Anxious in the first couple chapters cause what!? I hope Abril’s wedding was more than she ever dreamed!👰🏾‍♀️🤵🏾‍♂️
July gave ol’ girl too many chances. PPO ho. She was weird from the first encounter and how ol’ boy tell Ju about the baby then disappears on the baby? Math ain’t mathin’. 🤔🤔🤔
I loved the friend groups too. They all had good people to talk them and speak life into them. 💙
A good HEA story with no cheating MMC and FMC ❤️

[Denise Newman]

loved it!!

Abril and July!!

I absolutely love this couple’s love story! Their exes hurt them both in the worst way possible, it took her longer to heal from the pain of the break than him, which is why she pushed him away at first.

But then she decided to come up with this friends or neighbors with benefits situation but he knew she was more than that, she was his one and once she realized that the rest was history!

If you love a good friend/neighbor to lovers romance then you are going to love this book, so go ahead and add this to your TBR!

[Kristal Johnson]

Love next door

This was a cute and short read. I liked July and Abril together and appreciated when she finally gave him a chance to fully exist beyond a FWB. These two found love and healing after heartbreak with each other and their connection allowed for their friends to find love as well.

[eryn]

4.5
Friends with benefits to lovers thanks to a speed dating mixer hosted by the apartment complex. July and Abril were next door and found each other and gave a relationship another shot after being played. Briana was messy and didn’t deserve July, and Abril was too good for Devon. Would be interesting to read about the friends (Thad and Kamaia, Nina and Nick, and Yamika and Evyn).

[Mia L Boone]

Love Next Door

What can I say....this is a heartstrings puller. July and Abril are so sweet together. I'm so happy that they found each other when they weren't looking. My heart is so full after reading this story.

I also love the fact that the friends found love with each other as well. This was just an all around great read.

[Vasaunti Brown]

Abril and July both done dirty by their ex’s and just so happened to be on the same journey. While trying to heal and start fresh they found their way under each other skin. Not really a romantic story but very much a friends with benefits that turned into more while fighting it until it was too late. Loved how neither felt the need to sugarcoat and were their self. The whole friend group was put on.

[Nikenya Rodney]

Love after heartbreak

July and Abril are neighbors who moved into the apartment complex after their prior relationships went bad. Both were hurt by prior lovers. They become friends with benefits but July wants more. Abril does too much she’s afraid of getting hurt again. July loves all of her reluctance and fear away.

[Patrice Latimore]

July got that big boy energy

I am really enjoying Egypt’s catalogue. July came out with that big boy enjoying from the start. He didn’t play with that ex and stood on business when it came to Abril. I wanted more from this couple but would love to hear about the other couples as well.

[Topaz]

Great Read!

Ms. Cynae is a new author for me but after reading this book I will be working my way through her catalogue. I loved this book! It was spicy and I liked the pace their relationship evolved. It had just enough drama to make it interesting but not too much to distract from the developing relationship of the main characters. Well done!

[Erica]

Abril and July

It’s funny how Abril went in on July when initially meeting him. His ex really had her thinking he was no good. LOL! Great read! I enjoyed how both Abril and July friends also made love connections.

[Tommie Maxwell]

The Guy Next Door

This was such a moving story about love,deceit and trauma.
July and Abril were bought done wrong by their partners in the name of love.
Karma set in and made them believers again.
Great story telling!!!!

[Keyerra Irvin]

eeeeeh. this book was just okay. there was a lot of sex and the time frame of it all was just eh. the characters were all coo though. i am happy that they both received their HEA.
i’m not sure why, but i was expecting devon or brianna to come out and do something crazy.
decent read but just okay.

[Dreayke Harris]

Kimmi's Reads

I had this book downloaded for awhile I kept telling myself to go and read it and today I finally got to it and it was an amazing READ!!! This is my first time reading this author's work and I must say that Ms. Egypt Cynaé didn't disappoint at all.

[Terry Young]

finding…

Finding that one when you aren’t even looking is nothing but the man above. Trust the process and the timing because who we think is for us is not who is for us all the time. Happy they both got their HEA.

[Adeshola]

July and April

I love it when two people who have been hurt finally get things together. Your setback is your setup for greatness. This was a sweet little book.

[LaToya Brooks]

very good read

This was a very good read! Had me hooked from first page. Briana was crazy. I’m glad they got everything together

[Miss Read A lot]

So beautiful

This was everything. I’m glad Briana didn’t ruin things for him. They were so great together. This is that read when you need a break from toxicity!