Next to Me

Wheeler Brothers #1

by Allie Everhart

After losing her parents and brother in a car accident, Callie dropped out of college and went to live in the small town where her family used to spend the summers. A year later, and struggling to move on, she keeps to herself and wants to be left alone. So she’s not too happy when her new neighbor keeps knocking on her door.

Nash Wheeler, a 25-year-old construction worker from Chicago, inherited the house next to Callie’s and is living there while he renovates it. Outgoing, confident, and never one to back down from a challenge, Nash sets out to get to know his new neighbor, inviting her over for dinner and offering to fix things around her house.

As much as his persistence annoys her, Callie finds herself attracted to the tall, muscular, blue-eyed guy next door. And the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes how much they have in common. Like Callie, Nash has experienced loss, but when he opens up to her about it, she’s not willing to do the same. It’s too personal.

Nash is just her neighbor. Just some guy living there for the summer. But is that really all he is? Or is he the one person who can finally help her move on?

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Ebooks, New Adult Romance

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2016

About the author

Allie Everhart is the author of more than 60 books and several bestselling series, including The Jade Series, The Kensington Series, and The Wheeler Brothers. Allie writes a mix of angsty college romance, spicy sports romance, and thrilling romantic suspense.

Get exclusive bonus scenes and Allie's latest book news by joining her newsletter
http://eepurl.com/cGSOKr

Find Allie online at
http://allieeverhart.com

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAllieE...

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/author.alli...

Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/authorallie/

TikTok
tiktok.com/@allieeverhart

Reviews

[Andrea Fleury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

As with all of allies books . There is a great story with substance. There was just that right amount of romance and and you can't help but fall in love with the characters.. I can't wait to read more about the wheeler boys and there lives. And I hope it will continue with more about Nash and Callie.

[Yesenia Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this book was great I really felt Callie's pain losing not just one member of her family but all of them. I felt said for lou who also lost someone but was there for her and felt like a daughter. Nash was just great he was the best, he wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted in being with callie even if she wanted to be alone. He was a great "neighbor" boyfriend for her, can't wait to read his brothers story's too.

[Allie Everhart]

Next to Me is the first in a series of standalone novels featuring the Wheeler brothers. This book is about Nash, the oldest brother, and his neighbor, Callie. The next book, Give Us a Chance, features Jake and Ivy.

[Annie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

I repeat.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Like a lot.

[Becky Frosco · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Livros A Go-Go ~Joyci ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A menina sozinha no mundo e não querendo mudar um grão de poeira sequer da casa da sua falecida família me fez dar uma choradinha boa! :D

[Michelle Quintana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad but funny

Callie is dealing with major depression caused by survivor's guilt when she meets Nash. She lost her family a year prior and has become a recluse just trying to get by. Nash is drawn to her and tries his best to figure her out. Callie is resistant at first and shuts down whenever he asks about her family. Callie is afraid that if Nash knew the truth, then he would look at her differently. When she is forced to confront her grief head on, things take a dramatic turn for both Callie and Nash. I liked how this book deals with grief and how it's different for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

While looking for another book to read, I came across a synopsis that reminded me of this book. I remembered liking this so I decided to re-read it. I never wrote a review so here goes...

Reading this for the second time has not changed my opinion of this book. It is very sweet. We meet Callie and Nash right away and read both of their points of views.

Callie lost her whole family in a tragic accident and has been stuck in the denial stage of grief for over a year. My heart breaks for her. She is all alone and needs help. Nash moves in next door and is a sweetheart from the beginning. He doesn't know what she's dealing with but likes her AND her quirks.

Watching their relationship build was great. It was well written. Callie keeps trying to push Nash away. She's awkward at times, not knowing how to deal with emotions as she starts to "move on". Nash is persistent. First and foremost, he wants to be a friend to her. He recognizes that she needs someone. He is patient and kind and understanding and romantic and manly!

Despite the topic of grief, this book is a good "pick-me-up", in my opinion - despite me having teared up briefly.

[Cami · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!!! Allie Everhart is brilliant!
The characters are so believable in this book.

Callie is sweet, tortured & broken just trying to make it through each day. Tragedy struck her family & she is unable to move on with her life.

Nash is funny, warm & incredibly hot!!! Persistence should be his middle name as he's trying to get to know his neighbor but she is stubborn & private.

This book captured me right from the start. It is really funny and has so many layers.
I have read all of Allie's books & as far as I'm concerned she cannot write them fast enough.

[Debbie Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Wow loved this book, I was hooked from the first page. I will never understand what Callie went through in her young life I couldn't even imagine. But wow what a story and a great outcome thanks for the Allie Everheart.

[Tracy Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really enjoyed this book. Loved Callie. Such a strong, caring girl. Completely understand what she was doing. Very sad and heartbreaking but heartwarming book. And Nash wow what a man he is. Brill read. xxxx

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Cat stars ...A story of grief loss and love really enjoyed it

[Susana Graça · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is review is going to be different from the others I use to do! First of, I gotta say this is a MUST READ!
Now, I'm just transcript some of my favorite lines of the book (and coment them!):D

"What do you want? I ask, scooting back more, landing in the wet grass. I feel it soaking my shorts but that's that's the least of my problems right now. I point to my house. "Take what you want" My voice is shaky my heart pounding. "Just please don't hurt me." - I was laughing so hard when I read this! ahahahahahahahahah (there were tears in my eyes and I almost couldn't breath!!!)

"So why did you think I shot at you?! he asks, kneeling down n front of me.
"Because you did," I say, watching as he opens the box. "I heard the gun go off."
He looks to the side and his brows furrow like he's thinking. And then he smiles back at me. "That must've been my truck. Sorry about that. I'm used to it I don't even notice it anymore!
"Your truck? That sound came from your truck?" - There were literally tears running down my face at this point ahahahahahah

"He just barged in, carrying me like I was Jane and he was Tarzan. He would make a good Tarzan with that dark hair and that body." - come on, you have to laugh at this! ;)

"I'm here to do a job. Fix the house. That's it. Plain and simple. But suddenly it feels more complicated than that." - My thoughts were exactly these: I sure hope so :D

"So you have a cat?!
I stop cutting and look at him. "No questions. You promised."
He leans back in his chair. "So you have a cat."
"You already asked me that." I grab a paper plate and slide a piece of pie onto it.
"The first time I asked you. The second time was a declarative statement."
I roll my eyes. "Oh, my God, not this again. You and your declarative statements." - You can't simply not laugh at this!!!!!!!

"What's his -" He stops before he asks a question. "I assume he has a name."
"Cat." I take a bite of the pie, letting the chocolate cream linger in my mouth.
"Yeah. The cat," Nash says. "His name is..."
"I just told you."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes. I did." I swirl my fork in the whipped cream, then dip it in the chocolate mixture and lick it off the fork.
"Callie, just tell me the cat's name."
"Cat." I turn to Nash. "That's his name. Cat. Okay? Now can we talk about something else?"
"Your cat's name is Cat?"
I sigh. "That was a question. But yes, his name is Cat." - By this point I thought I was going to laugh (really hard) throw all the book!

"Why did I agree to work for Nash? I can't work for him. I have things to do. Things at home like...nothing. Who am I kidding? I have nothing to do." - that's true girl! And at least you'll have a nice view while you work, am I right or am I right?

"Oh, God." She closed her eyes, her head falling back. "Stop it, Nash."
"Why? You seem to be enjoying it."
"Too much, which is why you need to stop. We said we'd take things slow."
"It's just a foot rub, Callie. Doesn't get any slower than that." - Yep, you have me laughing at this too. ;D

"What the hell?" I say to myself the next morning as I hear loud noises outside my window. I get out of the bed and shove the drape aside and my mouth drops open.
It's like three fitness models have descended on my lawn and taken up residence. Tall. Muscular. Tan. Shirtless. Holy shit. Am I dreaming this? I look back at my bed. I'm not in it, so I must be awake.
[...]
I return to the window and gaze out at the scene on my lawn. I spot Nash walking over from his house, carrying a bag of something over his shoulder. Hot man number four. He, too, is shirtless [...]
"Callie, get out here and meet my brothers."
Is he kidding? I can't go out there! I'm not even dressed. My hair's a mess. I have no makeup on. And he expects me to go out like this and meet his super-hot brothers? There's no way that's happening. I'll just ignore him. He has work to do. He'll forget about me if I hide in here.
"Callie?" I hear his voice but it sounds clearer, no longer muffled by the window. "Callie, are you in your room?" It's louder now. What the hell? Is he in my house?
I open my door and am met with the sight of his tan, muscular chest. - Well, Callie, you just got an upgrade of the view from your window ;D :P

I like your brothers," I say, looking up at him.
"But you like me better," he says as he leaves kisses down my neck.
"I don't know. Jake is pretty hot," I say in a kidding tone.
"Jake doesn't give foot rubs."
"Oh. Then he's out. How about Austin?" I laugh. " Does he give foot rubs?"
"No." He kisses his way back up my neck. "And stop thinking of my brothers that way." - Too damn funny! He's jealous even of his brothers ahahahahahahah

"I stand there, my eyes taking in the scene. Four extremely hot men. Shirtless. In my front yard. What the hell? - It's about time you have some luck coming your way, Callie! Prepare yourself! ;P

"Let's forget all that and get back to what we were doing before the doorbell rang."
She looks down. "I don't think we should."
"Why? Just a few minutes ago you were all over me." I lift her face up and kiss her. "And I liked it." I kissed her again. "A lot."
She rests her hands on my chest. "I did too, but I didn't mean to do that. It just happened."
I smile. "You just happened to kiss me?"
"Something like that. She glances down.
I lift her face again, bringing eyes back to mine. "There had to be a reason."
Her shoulders drop. "Okay, fine. It was all that talk about hammering nails in the wall."
"What?" My brows draw together in confusion.
She sighs. "Your instructions. You used words that...I don't know...got to me in a certain way."
"What did I say?"
She avoids my gaze, her cheeks turning pink. "Pound it in. Drive it in. Do it harder."
I laugh. "Shit, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard. You have a dirty, dirty mind, my friend." - My thoughts exactly!!!!!

"Callie's happiness makes me happy? I think that means something. Something I already knew but wasn't ready to admit. I think it means I'm falling in love with her. Or maybe already am." - Oh, yeah, big guy, you already are ;)

"And as I lie here next to him, it becomes clear to me that Nash it not just my neighbor. He's not just my friend. He's the man I've fallen in love with." - Well, that was about time you realized it, girl. Took you long enough!!!

"Why does life have to be so unfair?"
"It's not always unfair. Sometimes it surprises you and gives you something good to make up for all the bad shit you had to go through. Sometimes really good, that makes it all worth it."
She looks up. "Like what?"
"You." I set my eyes on hers. "So far in my life, I've lost my best friend, the mom who raised me, and the mom who gave birth to me. But then I found you. The girl I can't stop thinking about. The girl I miss whenever she's not around. The girl I want to hold in arms and fall asleep with every night." I pause. "I'm just going to say this, and I don't expect you to say it back." I look her right in the eye. "I love you, Callie. You're the something good. You're what life gave to make up for all the bad." - I'm just gonna say it. I want a guy just like this! God, please, can you send a Nash for me? Another thing, I'm going to use this quote about life not being fair!

"You ever see that neighbor of yours?" He glances at me out of the side of his eye as he holds the towels.
"Now and then. Not a lot."
"He's a nice young man. Got a good head on his shoulders."
"He's all right," I say, trying to hide the fact that I'm in love with that nice young man with a good head on his shoulders." - I love when people had enough and just start to intervene and play matchmaking

Callie and I can have a romantic dinner some other time. Come on. We want you to join us."
He winks at Callie. "We picked a good one."
She smiles at me. "Yeah. We did." - I just really liked this line :D It made me smile :) And I have to agree with them :P They picked a good one ;)

"Nash must've just left," Lou says to Jen.
"Yeah," Jen agrees. "She's got that smile."
"I wasn't smiling," I insist, as I check the pies that are still in the oven.
"You were smiling," they both say at once, then Jen laughs.
"And not just any smile," Lou says as he washes his hands at the sink. "That's your Nash smile. Only shows up when he's around." - I love it when people are happy, especially when they already suffered enough for a lifetime! (That said people being "real people" or "fictional people" for me, they are all real!

[Anna Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard one, but a very good one.

Callie stayed home instead of going to the Wisconsin Dells with her family. They died on the way home in a head-on crash. She was 20, and suddenly completely alone and terrified. Holing up in their summer home for a year, she's befriended by a baker who gets her to take a few hours a day in his bakery in order to try to help her, but it's nowhere near enough. She's self-isolated, almost waiting for them either to come back or for herself to die.

Until Nash shows up at the house next door. The old man who lived there died a few years ago, and the place has just sat, ever since. But now a big, builder-type has moved in and is very much about breaking down her walls, as well as the walls in the house... he's going to renovate the place.

And help her find her way to life, again.

There is MUCH symbolism and imagery here, if you let yourself see it. But Callie just breaks your heart, for much of the book. Nash is amazingly patient with her, and Lou (the baker) breaks *MY* heart, because he gets the short end, in this whole thing.

Still... it's well written, very moving, and definitely worth your time.

[Tina Lonsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great as always thank for the very good read.

Allie I wonder if you did a book 9 to the Jade series the part where Garret's mother comes back because you have covered everything else of the original story but to me not the last bit because that actually finished the other one and was hoping you would consider doing one. Thanks again for the very good read.

[Samuel McElwain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was always a five star for me.
From the very first page I was hooked on the lives of these two characters and i was so interested in Callie and Nash whom both have lost very important people in there life who came together and fell in love.
I don’t think I have seen something like this in anything I’ve read and it was just beautiful.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Allie. At first I wasn't going to read this series but after reading The Jade Series and the Kensingtons I figured why not? I'm glad I did. I recommend any book that she writes. I love spilt perspectives. Great book!

[Ashley Seymour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!

I have loved Allie Everhart since I started reading The Jade series and she didn't disappoint with Nash and Callie's story. It was such an emotional roller coaster but so worth the ups and downs. I cannot wait to read Jakes story!

[Gale Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really beautifully sweet story about love, lose and moving forward. I loved our two main characters, Callie and Nash, as well as our other great side characters. Nash was a sweetheart and we all need a boyfriend like him.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of going through grief and regaining your life

This story tore through me with grief like I’ve never felt. The main character lost everything including herself. A wonder man came into her life and convinced her to live again.

[Catheryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, slight spicy and all the healing.

This book is about healing from grief. There really isn't one way to heal. But having support definitely helps. I loved this story. The brothers were hilarious and I loved the hero. He never gave up on her.

[Julie Cavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75%

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but it did drag in parts. Callie was a tiresome character but Nash was great. Allie writes swoon worthy fictional book boyfriends.

[Brandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed drawn out in the beginning and middle but the end came quick.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Caledonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was a bit rushed but this has that push and pull dynamic that I'm a sucker for.

[Sheila Bacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

A great start to the series. I felt all the emotions in this one and can't wait for the next one!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, enjoyable read.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.. not for me

[Kendall {Book Crazy} · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I've known about this author's books since she released her first book in the Jade series, but for some reason I haven't read any of her books! I have almost all of them on my Kindle, so I have no idea why I haven't read them yet! I discovered this book last month and it sounded amazing and the cover is stunning, so I waited for it to release and read it as soon as I could! I'm so happy I've finally read a book from this author though because I loved this book! It was perfect and exactly my kind of read! The plot was also amazing! It was very sad at times, but then it was very beautiful at others! It had a huge amount of loss in it too, which made it more emotional, and it had a lot of realisation for the two main characters! It also only took me a few sittings to read and I just adored everything about it! The plot also had a few really hot scenes in it too, and they were a lot steamier than I was expecting them to be! The characters were also amazing and made the book even better for me! Callie was the main female character, and my heart completely went out to her in this book! She had lost her parents and her brother in a car accident, but Callie tried to create a persona around her that they were still alive and that she wasn't alone in the world! I just felt so sorry for her and wanted to wrap her in a massive hug! She had such a hard time coming to terms with her loss until her love interest, Nash, was able to help her start to come to terms with her loss and start to try and move on! Callie was also a very strong character and she was a lot stronger than she gave herself credit for! I just loved her and she came a long way in this book! Nash was the main male character, and he was so funny and honest with Callie! He was there for her as much as he could be and he was always helping her in the smallest way! It was very cute! Nash was also seriously hot and he was always trying to get Callie to open up more and be honest with him! He tried to help Callie come to terms with her loss too and he helped her come a long way in this book! Nash had also been through a lot and he had experienced a huge amount of loss, so he was able to connect with Callie more and they were both able to help each other a lot! I just loved him! I also loved that this book was written from both Callie and Nash's point of views! I was expecting it to be after I read the synopsis, but I'm so happy it was! It helped me connect more with both characters and it made the romance and plot more intense! It also says in the synopsis that this book is a standalone, but the cover gives the impression that it's part of the Wheeler Brothers series! I'm really hoping that this book is the first book in a series because I definitely see potential for a few secondary characters in this book to have their own books! I'm also definitely going to bump this author's other books up on my TBR list! I can't wait to read more from her! The cover for this book is stunning and hot! I loved it as soon as I saw it and the models on the front are an awesome Callie and Nash!