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Girls Next Door: Lesbian Romance

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Sometimes the most intriguing girls are right next door—BFFs, ex-girlfriends, new girls in town, party girls, study mates, team mates, and sexy strangers. All it takes is a night out, the right moment, or an accidental kiss to discover what's been there all along—the perfect girl for a love that lasts a lifetime. Best-selling romance authors tell it from the heart—sexy, romantic stories of falling for the girls next door.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Cupcake by Georgia Beers
2. Guilty Pleasure by M. Ullrich
3. Hooper Street by Anna Larner
4. Snow Day by Missouri Vaun
5. Knocking on Haven’s Door by Brey Willows
6. Gold by Giselle Renarde
7. Love Unleashed by Karis Walsh
8. Bat Girl by Laney Webber
9. The Aisle of Lesbos by Allison Wonderland
10. Kiss Cam by Lisa Moreau
11. The Girl Next Door by Beth Burnett
12. October Moon by Sheri Lewis Wohl
13. Chemistry by Lea Daley
14. Black Out by Ronica Black
15. Dog Day of Summer by Kris Bryant
16. The Perfect Blend by Rion Woolf
17. Welcome to the Neighborhood by Aurora Rey
18. Neighbors by Elizabeth Black
19. Black Sheep by Nell Stark

Genres: Anthologies / Romance

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2017

11 people are currently reading
223 people want to read

About the author

Sandy Lowe

9 books39 followers
Sandy has a Master's degree in Publishing from the University of Sydney, Australia. In her capacity as Senior Editor, she reviews submissions and proposals, edits and develops content for publication, and oversees publication production.

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5 stars
24 (26%)
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36 (39%)
3 stars
27 (29%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Lex Kent.
1,683 reviews9,876 followers
June 2, 2017
This was a bunch of shorts from authors we know from Bold Strokes Books, and a few that were new to me. Overall, this collection was just okay. There was one short I loved, five I liked, ten I thought were okay, and three, I did not care for. Since I rated ten of the books a 3, that's what I am giving the book, as an overall score.

I think it would be too boring to mention all the shorts, so I will just stick to the few I liked:

M. Ullrich- Guilty Pleasures, was by far my favorite. It almost makes up for the last book of hers that I did not care for:)

Georgia Beers- Cupcake. Just a real sweet short, very indicative of Beers' writing.

Karis Walsh- Love Unleashed. I'm a fan of Walsh, so not surprised I liked this one.

Lea Daley- Chemistry. I own a book by Daley, but have never read her before, this reminded me I need to give her a try.

Kris Bryant- Dog Days of Summer. A story about a run away dog. It was cute and the characters had some chemistry. I also like Bryant so again, not surprised I liked this.

Black Sheep- Nell Stark. I'm a fan of Stark's paranormal series. This was about two college students who parents refused to accept them being gay... and a little fun they have right under everyone's noses.

Overall and okay read, some shorts were definitely better than others. I did like the chance to find some new authors. There was one author named Allison Wonderland. I gave the short a 3 rating, but she wrote so uniquely, that I will keep an eye out for her in the future.

An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.
Profile Image for Pin.
457 reviews384 followers
May 22, 2017
Like most anthologies, this is a mixed bag, but among nineteen stories I disliked only one. The other eighteen stories ranged from two to five stars, with the average rating of 3.47 stars. That is really good for an anthology, and I think that Girls Next Door has stories for everyone's taste.
My favorites are (in order of appearance): Hooper Street by Anna Larner, The Girl Next Door by Beth Burnett, October Moon by Sheri Lewis Wohl, Chemistry by Lea Daley, and Dog Day of Summer by Kris Bryant.

3.5 stars rounded up

May 22, 2017

*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
Profile Image for Dee.
2,013 reviews107 followers
July 22, 2017
What a great collection of stories. I particularly loved that there were so many different spins on ‘The girl next door’ scenario, many of which I never could’ve imagined.

Stories include, older/younger woman, butch/femme, animals, scary critters – bats, racoons, lovable runaway dogs, a baker, a dash of paranormal, and a side of erotic spice.

A couple of the stories had no arc only a build up. A midpoint could be argued, but certainly no resolution. I get that happens in short stories but they still don’t sit any better with me.

I had intended to write a word or two about most but there are simply too many to do so. I will say, three stories that stood out for me were – Guilty Pleasure by M. Ullrich, Knocking on Heaven’s Door by Brey Willows and Kiss Cam by Lisa Moreau.

The best thing about this collection is that I discovered many new-to-me authors.

Copy received via NetGalley
Profile Image for Les Rêveur.
461 reviews149 followers
June 25, 2017
SNOW DAY BY MISSOURI VAUN
I have never read any Missouri Vaun books but if this story is what I’ve got to look forward to then I’m buying in bulk tomorrow. Phenomenal short story… sex scene was exquisite! This was definitely my favourite in the anthology and I was definitely left wanting more from these protagonists, especially Lane.

BLACK SHEEP BY NELL STARK
Wow! Just wow… Nell Stark creates a sexy tale during Christmas at her parents house between her and her neighbour’s (and also good friends of her parents) daughter. I truely was left wanting more… Please let there be more!!

HOOPER STREET BY ANNA LARNER
One of my favourites from the collection. Anna Larner makes you believe in her characters and ultimately hope for them to give into love. The story was short and sweet but ultimately full of promise.

GUILTY PLEASURE BY M. ULLRICH
Great short story by M. Ullrich. I always enjoy story lines with an age gap romance so this ticked a major box for me and left me wanting more. I enjoyed how Ullrich was able to cover all bases without it feeling rushed, as can be the case with many short stories I’ve read.

KNOCKING ON HAVEN’S DOOR BY BREY WILLOWS
Well hell… I was almost sleeping until I read this short by Brey Willows. I don’t want to give too much away but ‘Knocking on Haven’s Door’ was a very sexy but also very sweet short story that left me wishing Haven was my next door neighbour…

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY AURORA REY
Have you read ‘Built to Last’ by Aurora Rey? Well this short story is about how two secondary Characters Kel and Gina get together. I just loved getting the background on these two. I reckon the added context about them made me love ‘Built to Last’ even more… wait is that possible???

KISS CAM BY LISA MOREAU
This was a very sweet and rather seductive tale. The title speaks for itself but with an interesting turn of events. This story just goes to show that sometimes when you aren’t looking, something wonderful falls in to your lap.

DOG DAY OF SUMMER BY KRIS BRYANT
Great story with really good premise! I felt like this could be the first chapter or prologue to a fantastic storyline. Totally drawn in by the characters and the scoundrel of a dog.
Profile Image for Alexis.
510 reviews649 followers
December 12, 2019
Anthologies generally aren't my favorite type of books to read but they work really well when I don't have enough time (or the attention span) to read a full length novel. This particular collection of short stories had everything ranging from super cheesy and sweet to steaming hot and explicit. I won't list all the included stories since I didn't like them all but here are a few that stood out for various reasons.

Hooper Street by Anna Larner 5*
A cynical heartbroken woman gets an overly cheerful and chatty neighbor that slowly transforms the entire neighborhood into pleasantville.

Snow Day by Missouri Vaun 4*
Two young women get trapped at home in a snowstorm and find new ways to keep each other warm. Despite it being winter, you may need to turn on the AC while reading this one.

Knocking on Haven’s Door by Brey Willows 3*
Kris is in for a surprise when she moves into a new house and finds out just what her hot neighbor does for a living. I misread this story's title twice!

Kiss Cam by Lisa Moreau 4*
A serendipitous kiss cam moment involving a huge pickle. Don't worry, it's an actual pickle. I can't believe I just had to type that.

I would have included more stories but honestly, I forgot to take notes. There are a total of 19 stories in this collection so you're bound to find something you'll like. For me however, this get's a 3* rating.
Profile Image for Samantha Luce.
Author 7 books26 followers
February 17, 2018
19 stories that range from sweet to erotic. Lots of well known authors (Georgia Beers, Ronica Black, Karis Walsh) and a few newbies who are probably doing to be well known soon.

I think I need to move to see if I can find some new neighbors like the ones in these fun stories.

You get a good assortment here. I hope there's a sequel. I enjoyed this theme about the The Girls Next Door.

Netgalley ARC received for an unbiased review.
Profile Image for Pippa D.
230 reviews14 followers
July 11, 2017
This is a collection of short stories featuring lesbian romances. There are some well-known lesbian romance authors in the collection, and some excellent short stories. The stories all featured the girl next door, and ranged from sweet romances to more explicit erotica.

There are twenty stories in all, and there was only one that I didn’t finish. There were a couple of 3 stars efforts, soundly written and quite engaging, but the ones that stick in my mind were a fabulous 5 stars. I guess I’d pick most to be about 4 stars, hence the rating.

Short stories are a treat. They are often really well written and encapsulate enough of the story to tantalize, and some luscious characters to guide you through it. And this group was a variety, from the really sweet, girl next door romance, to the hot and heavy just moved in next door thing. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the mix.

Stacia Seaman has written a lot of short stories and she knows how to manage the short form really well. This comes across in the selection of stories, of which all but one is very readable. I really enjoyed this set of stories, and will no doubt re-read it many times.

Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jane Shambler.
799 reviews32 followers
May 23, 2017
This is a book full of short stories. Some shorter than others. But overall not bad. Some are funny. some are romantic, others serious.

It is a good read. It is also a book you do not need to read all at once. Yes it is because they are short and sweet. It is a good collection and a nice variety of authors some of which are well known. I did not know all of the authors, so some were new to me. They all made me want more.

I liked some more than others but to be honest I'm not going to list them. You should make your own mind up. They are all good in their own way. Enjoy!!


*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
Profile Image for Gaby LezReviewBooks.
735 reviews548 followers
August 3, 2018
Review of Girls next door by Sandy Lowe and Stacia Seaman (eds.)


Short stories are a great way to try new authors or enjoy a short read of your favourite ones. The idea of "the girl next door" as a unifying theme is original for a lesfic compilation and allows a wide range of creative possibilities. Most of these stories can be read in 15-20 minutes so it's never too long if you don't enjoy them fully but if you like them, the good feeling stays for much longer. I've enjoyed more than half of these stories which was good considering there were nineteen of them. I'm sure everyone will have their own favourite, mine was Hooper Street by Anna Larner. Definitely worth a read.


Overall, 4 stars.


ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
Profile Image for Luce.
521 reviews
June 9, 2017
Like most anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than others. For this one, I did like most of the stories. There are a number of well known writers such as Beers, Ullrich, Karis Walsh, Stark and there are some that are new to me.

One stood out for me - Kris Bryant's "Dog Day of Summer". A simple story of two strangers - neighbors, Summer and Hart. Summer's new dog, Max runs away when he is scared by Hart's motorcycle. The story is of them (and us) getting to know each other as they search for hours for the runaway dog. I didn't want the story to end. I wanted to know more.
Profile Image for Starsandsun18.
258 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2017
Sorry for rating this low. It's my first time to read an anthology book. Actually, it's pretty fun. You got to taste everything is just one book the only downfall for me is that I want more. :( especially if I'm kind of hooked then suddenly.. another story. Georgia Beers and M. Ullrich are the reason why I read this but I also discovered authors that I haven't encountered yet and I'm kinda sold after reading their stories.


3.5
Profile Image for Margaret.
353 reviews56 followers
June 10, 2017
Detailed score: 3.75

Fantastic theme plus experienced authors = better than average anthology.

Perfect commute read.
Profile Image for Sienna Louise.
12 reviews
October 20, 2017
Well first off I’d like to mention that I failed to realize that this book was actually a collection of short stories which is one of the reasons it took me so long to read. I didn’t enjoy it all that much and there were quite a few chapters that I actually ended up skipping because I either didn’t really get what was going on or didn’t find it very interesting. I actually did quit on this book for a while but came back to finish it in the end. I enjoyed 2-3 stories but it wasn’t the best book. Also thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book.
Profile Image for Andrea.
Author 1 book4 followers
May 23, 2017
This was a nice collection of short stories with all kinds of different scenarios of the girl next door. The stories were very mixed and I absolutely loved some and wised they would have been longer or even made into a novel and some stories I didn't really care for and some were ok.
I loved cupcake, love unleashed, Kiss cam, October moon. For Guilty pleasure, hooper street, gold, the aisle of lesbos, the girl next door I didn't really care for and the rest I thought were ok but I didn't absolutely love them. All in all it was a nice mix of short stories that has something for everybody. There are butch/femme, femme/femme, older/younger woman, animals, some paranormal, and some erotic scenes in some stories more than in others.

I received a ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher
andreazupanc.wordpress.com
Profile Image for Hue.
12 reviews12 followers
June 28, 2017
An enjoyable read. My favorites:

Cupcake by Georgia Beers (classic crushing on a bae-keshop owner);

Guilty Pleasure by M. Ullrich (slight age-gap hotness);

Hooper Street by Anna Larner (aw-inducing story, with a bright and sunny, or maybe just dense lol, character that brought about changes in Hooper Street, really tropic but still good);

Snow Day by Missouri Vaun (it's snowing but the ladies definitely didn't feel cold);

Kiss Cam by Lisa Moreau (quirkiest lead, or second to Hooper Street; this will pickle err tickle your funny bones:) ;

The Girl Next Door by Beth Burnett (you never know who you'd end up with that's why don't be quick to judge or stereotype, or simply don't bully your crush);

Chemistry by Lea Daley (bff for the win);

The Perfect Blend by Rion Woolf (I think this is the sweetest story);

Welcome to the Neighborhood by Aurora Rey (choco chips, yum; plus Olivia needs a story of her own).
Profile Image for Delitealex.
215 reviews116 followers
June 10, 2017
This anthology had a good variety of short stories. A few I didn't care for but most of them were good. Most were authors I recognized but a few that were new to me.

My favorite stories were Dog day of summer by Kris Bryant Perfect Blend by Rion Woolf Welcome to the neighborhood by Aurora Rey and Black Sheep by Nell Stark.

Received book from Bold strokes books for an honest review
Profile Image for Tara.
783 reviews372 followers
December 2, 2017
With 19 stories, each by different authors, you’re sure to find characters that you’ll connect with. We don’t get as much time with any of them as we would if we were reading a full length novel, but the authors did a great job of giving us enough so we can get invested in the characters and their respective journeys.

Full review: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/girls...
Profile Image for Vita L. Licari.
925 reviews45 followers
January 20, 2025
Another beautiful book from my TBR shelves.This is a wonderful collection of 19 stories all centered on the girl next door. Some I enjoyed more than others, but on the whole I give it 5 stars!
Profile Image for Heidi.
701 reviews32 followers
June 5, 2019
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not a big short story fan. I would probably give this 3.5 stars, Some of the stories are better than others. I keep trying short story compilations as some of my favorite authors contribute to them. The stories are good I just want more to them.
Profile Image for Jasmine.
408 reviews28 followers
June 13, 2017
I'm don't read a lot of short stories (because I am a greedy reader and I always want more) but I was really happy to be able to read this little adorable and sexy collection!

It was really great to discover some authors I haven't read before and get a little taste for their writing. I have a ton of books and authors to add to me to-read list now! Thank you for that!

Of course it was a treat to be able to read some stories by my favourite authors, to get a little fix of their writing until their next books come out in the fall. Here's looking at you Aurora Rey! I fell in love with Brey Willow's writing with her first book this year and I loved her addition to the collection.

This was a really well put together collection, not too repetitive. There's a little something for everyone in here!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lorraine Rusnack.
1,130 reviews33 followers
April 8, 2021
Great collection of authors in one book. Most of them I have read before and a few new ones. I enjoyed all of the stories some were sweet and some were hot. There’s nothing like falling for the girl next door. They can really rock your world.
Profile Image for Katrina.
316 reviews
July 2, 2017
I received this ARC from Bold Stroke books in exchanges for a review. I liked some stories and hated others. Longer review will be written tomorrow.

I will review each story and then the book as a whole.

Cupcake- literally the sweetest story in the book. We have all been there, you know some minor stalking of a woman to see if she notices you. Overall well written and the best story this book could have started with. I would live to go to that bakery.

Guilty Pleasure - it was cute, but ultimately not anything to write home about. The writing was an it choppy, but otherwise a solid story.

Hooper Street- Now this was a well written story, with a good beginning and a great end. It only takes one person to change how people feel about their neighborhoods. And the love story was adorable. We have all been that jerk at one point in our lives.

Snow Day- Good story, great characters, but also something I have read in other books. It's a popular trope, liking the hottie that lives downstairs. Cute. It not terribly memorable.

Knocking on Haven's Door- Such a good story and probably my second favorite. I liked the twist about Haven's job cause that is not what I thought she did. I really liked the characters and I plan on reading more by this author.

Gold- I did not like this story, I thought it was again too familiar and like I have already ready it somewhere written by someone who wrote it better.

Love Unleashed - Great story for pet lovers.

Bat Girl- This story was not only adorable but also very funny. I will definitely look up more by this author to read. She writes so well and is so very funny.

The Aisle of Lesbos- Another story that I didn't like. Maybe it was the protagonists unique way of speaking that annoyed me, but this story just wasn't that great.

Kiss Cam- The best story about not knowing what you have till it finds someone else. What great comeuppance Suze did not deserve her and I'm glad she got with "pickle girl" in the end.

The Girl Next Door- cute enough but not my favorite. I just fee like a lot of these stories are similar and this is another one of those. Girl meets girls, Girl hunks girl is too much of everything, in the end they fall in love. Too formulaic and cookie cutter.

October Moon - cute story about lost love finding itself again. Really good story.

Chemistry- Another story about falling for the wrong girl until you figure out the girl you have been hanging out with was perfect all along.

Black Out- cute but not too memorable.

Dog Day of Summer - Another good love story about people and pets. Cute and written well and I feel like I could read an entire book about these two or even a series and never get sick of them.

Welcome to the Neighborhood- so this story just felt so fresh. I like that we got an entire story from when they met to the engagement and it was such a cute story. I loved both women and even Olivia who although a minor character was awesome.

Neighbors- I just can't with this story. The anger I feel right now is immense. This was so ridiculous. Are hose three just gonna go beach town to beach town picking up women to join their harem. Such a dumb story.

Black Sheep- Great story to end on and it rounds out my three favorite. Cute, good story, great passion and two ver likable character.

So overall the book was a four there was a lot of lines for me and not too many misses. I will be looking into these authors other works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Morgan.
613 reviews37 followers
July 25, 2017
This is just simply an anthology of stories with the theme of "the girl next door" with contributions from a pretty wide set of current lesfic authors. There are some good ones, odd ones, a confusing as hell story, and maybe one or two standouts that you wouldn't mind an entire novel crafted around. In particular I enjoyed the Hooper Street story because it felt like there really was a bit more to it than looking next door and bumping uglies, as well as the final story of the book which may have just put me in a good mood to have ended the book on a high note. None of the shorts feel longer than 10 or 15 pages, which is the perfect length to breezily take in a few quick stories with very light plot. This is a good one to read on a plane, during a commute, or the beach. Nothing serious, but entertaining enough to pass the time. I do commend all of the authors and the editors for keeping these stories so short and on point.


ARC provided by NetGalley.
Profile Image for Angie.
633 reviews
March 17, 2021
- Cupcake - Georgia Beers: 5/5
- Guilty Pleasure - M. Ullrich: 3/5
- Hooper Street - Anna Larner: 4/5
- Snow Day - Missouri Vaun: 5/5
- Knocking on Haven’s Door - Brey Willows: 2/5
- Gold - Giselle Renarde: 1/5
- Love Unleashed - Karis Walsh: 3/5
- Bat Girl - Laney Webber: 1/5
- The Aisle of Lesbos - Allison Wonderland: 1/5
- Kiss Cam - Lisa Moreau: 5/5
- The Girl Next Door - Beth Burnett: 5/5
- October Moon - Sheri Lewis Wohl: 4/5
- Chemistry - Lea Daley: DNF
- Black Out - Ronica Black: 5/5
- Dog Day of Summer - Kris Bryant: 5/5
- The Perfect Blend - Rion Woolf: 4/5
- Welcome to the Neighborhood - Aurora Rey: 5/5
- Neighbors - Elizabeth Black: 2/5
- Black Sheep - Nell Stark: 4/5
Profile Image for Alexa Steli.
676 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2022
so basically this a book with short stories from different authors.
they were some chapters where i got bored and wanted to skip but there were also chapters when i felt like it's too short and i needed more.
overall the rating it's 3 stars
Profile Image for Daizi Rae.
21 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2023
There are some real gems in this anthology that are a joy to read. And there are almost as many that were disappointing. But overall I’m happy I read this one, those good stories left a good impression.
Profile Image for Books R Cool.
5 reviews
October 21, 2018
As with all anthologies it's hit and miss with the stories. Some I liked, some I didn't. Overall, worth 4-stars and reading.
39 reviews
July 25, 2025
Loved the short stories by different authors which made it easier to put the book down after each story if needed.
Profile Image for Ty.
263 reviews21 followers
July 11, 2022
I was a little wary going into this because I wasn't sure I'd like the anthology format. I was right about that. It takes a lot for a short story to be really engaging, and to also be satisfying in its few pages. Many of these were nice to read, but attempted to do too much as far as the relationship, which actually made them less satisfying. But I still enjoyed reading most of these stories. There were definitely one or two I really could have done without, but that's where the short story format is an advantage. Even the worst of these was over quickly.
4,823 reviews16 followers
January 6, 2019
Sometimes the most intriguing girls are right next door—BFFs, ex-girlfriends, new girls in town, party girls, study mates, teammates, and sexy strangers. All it takes is a night out, the right moment, or an accidental kiss to discover what's been there all along—the perfect girl for a love that lasts a lifetime. Best-selling romance authors tell it from the heart—sexy, romantic stories of falling for the girls next door.
This was an anthology full of a variety of stories straight from the heart. They were all quick and easy with well-liked characters. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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