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Nashville Neighborhood #2
The Pool Boy
Nothing says happy birthday like catching your husband in a compromising position with his boss.
His male boss.
Why, hello, midlife crisis. I'm starting over, but this time I'm doing it right. Or at least I'm doing what I want.
Taking the day off from work to hang out poolside? Yup. Do I leave the swimsuit in my house? Sure.
Does my very hot, twenty-something pool boy happen to catch me naked? Oh, yeah, he does. And he likes what he sees... a lot.
My best friend keeps telling me to have a fling and get back out there. But I'm not so sure she meant for me to do it with her son.
His male boss.
Why, hello, midlife crisis. I'm starting over, but this time I'm doing it right. Or at least I'm doing what I want.
Taking the day off from work to hang out poolside? Yup. Do I leave the swimsuit in my house? Sure.
Does my very hot, twenty-something pool boy happen to catch me naked? Oh, yeah, he does. And he likes what he sees... a lot.
My best friend keeps telling me to have a fling and get back out there. But I'm not so sure she meant for me to do it with her son.
323 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2020
1728 people are currently reading
19457 people want to read
About the author
Nikki Sloane
42 books7,729 followersUSA Today bestselling author Nikki Sloane landed in graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. Now she writes full-time and lives in Kentucky with her husband, two sons, and two super destructive cats.
She is a four-time Romance Writers of America RITA® & Vivian® Finalist, a Passionate Plume & HOLT Medallion winner, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist, and couldn't be any happier that people enjoy reading her sexy words.
She is a four-time Romance Writers of America RITA® & Vivian® Finalist, a Passionate Plume & HOLT Medallion winner, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist, and couldn't be any happier that people enjoy reading her sexy words.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,863 reviews
May 25, 2023
4.75 stars
The story was modestly anarchistic but generously filthy,obscene. Freshly divorced from her unfaithful, 20 year long, husband. Erika’s desire to elapse from her old persona and her anterior matrimonial life at 42 year old eclipsed her recentrent over her disastrous dite life and ungrateful ex-husband. The path she took into the redeeming and mooring process with her body and self esteem unexpectedly throw her into the arms of her much younger pool boy and accessorily best friend’s son, young 24 year old Troy.
Their relationship was without contest and surprise filled and imbued with a considerable amont of lust and chemistry and rhythmed by hot-blushing sex scenes. However, the plot line curiously painted their bond with much more depth and nuances than just a mutual desire to appease and please. It all started with a clichéed fascination and fantasme of a teenager over his hot mother’s best friend but the way his character saw more in Erika than just a body or "the fantasme to be with an older woman." was one of the principle factors that made me love this book so much than just a quick smutty read, because them being together and made so much sense and that’s what I’m always looking for in romance.
This quote alone emphasizes perfectly how the sex scenes were a delicious combo between dominance and submission. Quite frankly, this read had the best smutt I have read so far this year. If I dive more into the details of the story / relationship I’ll probably spoil some important aspects that are better left as delightful surprises. SO IF YOU NEED GOOD SMUTT WITH AN EQUAL GOOD AMONT OF ROMANCE GO READ IT!!
~~~~
it was surprisingly so good! rtc🤭
~~~~
like, why is it the only reverse age gap i could find THAT I HAVENT YET READ? i swear, this trope need REDEMPTION!! ASAP!!
❛ ❛ I bet you can get any girl you want,” I whispered. ”But I want one woman in particular. ❜ ❜
The story was modestly anarchistic but generously filthy,
"It wasn’t that often I got shy, but with her? I always struggled."
Their relationship was without contest and surprise filled and imbued with a considerable amont of lust and chemistry and rhythmed by hot-blushing sex scenes. However, the plot line curiously painted their bond with much more depth and nuances than just a mutual desire to appease and please. It all started with a clichéed fascination and fantasme of a teenager over his hot mother’s best friend but the way his character saw more in Erika than just a body or "the fantasme to be with an older woman." was one of the principle factors that made me love this book so much than just a quick smutty read, because them being together and made so much sense and that’s what I’m always looking for in romance.
"You like the sound of that? Me being your personal sex toy?"
This quote alone emphasizes perfectly how the sex scenes were a delicious combo between dominance and submission. Quite frankly, this read had the best smutt I have read so far this year. If I dive more into the details of the story / relationship I’ll probably spoil some important aspects that are better left as delightful surprises. SO IF YOU NEED GOOD SMUTT WITH AN EQUAL GOOD AMONT OF ROMANCE GO READ IT!!
~~~~
it was surprisingly so good! rtc🤭
~~~~
like, why is it the only reverse age gap i could find THAT I HAVENT YET READ? i swear, this trope need REDEMPTION!! ASAP!!
August 13, 2021
Ummmm is this a top favorite of the year??? I know everyone has been loving this book, but I fell head over heels for this story. Erika finds her husband of 20 years cheating on her, so they get a divorce and she's living her life and ready to be her best self. But one encounter with her pool boy, Troy, ignites a feeling she doesn't want to let go of. The problem? Troy is 24 and her best friend's son. Talk about forbidden! I loved the heat and tension between Erika and Troy and how Troy was just so smitten and into Erika. He wasn't scared to admit he wanted her and truly put her first. Erika was skeptical as the older woman because of society's pressures and judgment, but Troy showed her how special she was and how attracted to her, both physically and emotionally, he really was. I also loved the music plot line of this, which I don't want to spoil because it was a pleasant surprise for me. The ending was adorable and I just can't say enough good things about this book!
August 9, 2020
4 STARS
Every now and then a girl just wants a fun and smutty romance with a dash of taboo/forbidden mixed in. And whenever I'm craving this, Nikki Sloane is my no-brainer go-to. The woman can write a steamy erotica like no other. But she'll also infuse it with a fun story and plenty of feels to make it immensely satisfying.
Now I'm going to admit something to you and I'm prepared for the judgy looks I'll get. *whispers* I have a double standard. *grins sheepishly* What? I own it. I know I do. Because while I love me a good age gap romance with an older man, I don't particularly gravitate towards the reverse. I know, I know. It's not a bias I have in life. But for some reason, I do have it in books. Which is ridiculous, now that I think about it, because some of my favorite age gaps have been with a younger guy. Huh. I'm having an epiphany here. But I digress. What I'm trying to say here, is it's not my go to, but if Nikki writes it? I'm all over it.
I devoured Erika and Troy's book. Beyond the age gap, there's also a big dash of forbidden, because Troy just happens to be Erika's best friend's son.
Erika is a recent divorce still dealing with discovering her husband's long term affair...with his male boss.
I know! The plot twists! Craziness. But I digress again.
Troy is Erika's best friend's son and also her pool boy. Troy has also been harboring a huge crush on his mom's friend for years. When he stumbles upon Erika sunbathing at her pool topless, well, let's just say his reaction is not easy to hide. And seeing her best friend's son all grown up staring at her with some very adult lust in his eyes? Well let's just say Erika has an epiphany of her own. Thus begins their incredibly hot but also forbidden affair. And I was SO HERE FOR IT.
This story was so much more than just hot sex. Even though it was hot. I mean, smoking hot. SCORCHING. But really, there was so much more to it. I loved the way that Erika fought for Troy's dreams even when his own parents didn't see them. Troy was absolutely delicious. He's sweet and caring and he's all in with Erika. He's not a stereotypical 20 year old playboy. He knows what he wants and he doesn't need years of playing the field to know that it's Erika and he could care less about their twenty year age difference. I absolutely loved the two of them together.
This was such a fun, quick paced read that I devoured in one hot Sunday afternoon and finished with a smile on my face. It was the perfect steamy read to get my mind off of all the crazy happening in our world right now. I also immediately went and purchased book one in this series to read about the good Dr and his son's ex girlfriend. Because Yum. If you're looking for a super steamy but wonderfully developed and immensely satisfying erotic romance, this is definitely a must read.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
If he had a flavor, it was just like his music. Sinfully rich and hot.
Every now and then a girl just wants a fun and smutty romance with a dash of taboo/forbidden mixed in. And whenever I'm craving this, Nikki Sloane is my no-brainer go-to. The woman can write a steamy erotica like no other. But she'll also infuse it with a fun story and plenty of feels to make it immensely satisfying.
Now I'm going to admit something to you and I'm prepared for the judgy looks I'll get. *whispers* I have a double standard. *grins sheepishly* What? I own it. I know I do. Because while I love me a good age gap romance with an older man, I don't particularly gravitate towards the reverse. I know, I know. It's not a bias I have in life. But for some reason, I do have it in books. Which is ridiculous, now that I think about it, because some of my favorite age gaps have been with a younger guy. Huh. I'm having an epiphany here. But I digress. What I'm trying to say here, is it's not my go to, but if Nikki writes it? I'm all over it.
I devoured Erika and Troy's book. Beyond the age gap, there's also a big dash of forbidden, because Troy just happens to be Erika's best friend's son.
Erika is a recent divorce still dealing with discovering her husband's long term affair...with his male boss.
I know! The plot twists! Craziness. But I digress again.
Troy is Erika's best friend's son and also her pool boy. Troy has also been harboring a huge crush on his mom's friend for years. When he stumbles upon Erika sunbathing at her pool topless, well, let's just say his reaction is not easy to hide. And seeing her best friend's son all grown up staring at her with some very adult lust in his eyes? Well let's just say Erika has an epiphany of her own. Thus begins their incredibly hot but also forbidden affair. And I was SO HERE FOR IT.
This story was so much more than just hot sex. Even though it was hot. I mean, smoking hot. SCORCHING. But really, there was so much more to it. I loved the way that Erika fought for Troy's dreams even when his own parents didn't see them. Troy was absolutely delicious. He's sweet and caring and he's all in with Erika. He's not a stereotypical 20 year old playboy. He knows what he wants and he doesn't need years of playing the field to know that it's Erika and he could care less about their twenty year age difference. I absolutely loved the two of them together.
This was such a fun, quick paced read that I devoured in one hot Sunday afternoon and finished with a smile on my face. It was the perfect steamy read to get my mind off of all the crazy happening in our world right now. I also immediately went and purchased book one in this series to read about the good Dr and his son's ex girlfriend. Because Yum. If you're looking for a super steamy but wonderfully developed and immensely satisfying erotic romance, this is definitely a must read.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
April 13, 2021
This was the perfect follow-up to The Doctor! Age gap again, but this time the heroine is older and is the hero’s mom’s best friend. There was lots of good steam and I enjoyed the music aspect too!
August 10, 2025
“𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠,” 𝙄 𝙜𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙙.“𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙝.” 𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. “𝙒𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩.”
The story started with Erika, who found her husband cheating with his boss. Being divorced with trust issues, it was hard for Erika to find herself back with someone until her best friend's son caught her sunbathing topless.
The smut in this?? hOT HOT hoT wow Troy and Erika definitely know what they were doing🤭
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩? 𝙈𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙩𝙤𝙮?”
I kind of have a little bit of a problem with their relationship because they started it with just pure lust, so it didn't have a solid foundation to start with. Everything just happened so fast. So it's kind of all over the place. Also, it would be more wise for Erika to go to a therapist before starting a new relationship, so it could be more healthy for both of them (not me suddenly giving relationship advice).
But yeah, other than that, it was great; it was fun, and I enjoyed it. Such a good palate cleanser after a nonstop of fantasy reading.
𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚 . . .𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨.
thank you for my beautiful
----------
because lilyya said so
July 14, 2023
Cheated on? Don’t you worry
Because your pool boy will take GOOD care of you… age ain’t nothing but a number after all💁🏻♀️ 😉
It’s Erika’s (42) birthday and she’s celebrating with her hubby Clark when he gets a work phone call he has to take. Bummed out that another “romantic” night gets ruined after he leaves, Erika decides to go home and change into the sexy lingerie she bought for a special occasion, and she’s gonna surprise her hubby at work and make use of it.
Except when she gets there, SHE’S the one that gets surprised… because her hubby of 20 years has been cheating on her for the last year… with his boss…
What an amazing bday present 😐.
10 months later, her divorce is finalized and Erika’s home early from work on a hot day, so she does the only sensible thing a fit, new-boobs woman does on said hot day- she lays out by the pool topless 😅.
She kind of forgets that it’s Tuesday and her best friend’s son Troy’s (24) there to clean the pool like he does every week 😅. Imagine their surprise when he sees just how comfortable she is around her pool…
Oops 😬.
Little does Erika know that Troy has been crushing on her for a while.
And, it’s been WAAAAY too long since she’s been with anyone…
And, Troy is more than ready to be that person to…
“Help” her out with that little problem 😉
It all becomes a little more complicated when Erika hears how talented he is (musically) and wants to represent him…
But, can people mix work with pleasure? 👀
What I liked/loved: possible spoilers
—the 🔥. I’m not gonna lie… that’s EXACTLY why I picked this up 🤷🏻♀️. NS knows how to write 🔥. It starts off with them watching each other 👀, and when Troy realizes Erika is JUST as attracted to him as he is to her, well, his confidence and alphaness comes out, and… HOOOOOOLY HELLLLLL, it’s 🥵. By 30% ish, we see JUST how connected there are physically 💦. And jeeeezus, it’s 😅💦🥵🔥😉👀🤤😮💨. Emojis do these scenes no justice! 👏🏻
—the diiiiirty talk. This has DUAL diiirty talk, but, of course, my favorite is when Troy uses filthy words 💦. Oh LAWD. Troy. TROOOOOY! You ain’t got no business being so diiirty 🥵. You may be young, but that mouth and… well… d (lol) doesn’t know that 😅😮💨
—cereal eating 💦. Love me a man who has no qualms eating heartedly, even if it’s already creamy 😅
—the maturity in Troy. Although he’s not TOO young, he displayed a maturity men twice his age don’t possess. He’s practical yet still holds onto hope. I love seeing how quickly he absorbs information and how he assesses/reads the room. He isn’t naive or “too” young. It makes him the perfect complement to Erika 🤷🏻♀️
—reverse age gap for the win 👏🏻. We need more of these books 🤷🏻♀️
—the music aspect ❤️. The fact that Troy embodies the dreams Erika always wished to pursue only added a depth ness to their connection. Yes, it could be misconstrued to be about the dreams Erika lost, but it’s way more than that
—how invested Troy is. There is NO other woman for him. In fact, he’s been wanting her for years 👀 (but she was married, so 😐). Erika is what inspired him to develop his talent ❤️. And he worships her in sooo many ways 🥹
—the taboo aspect 😈 duh 😉. Love me some dirty-little-secret books 😮💨
—how strong Erika gets after the divorce. She didn’t let it bring her down. She got even more fit, new boobs, and new confidence she didn’t have before 💁🏻♀️. Yaaaas Erika 👏🏻 get it girl 😮💨
—how he honors her when he performs at the end 🥹. I found this super cute and swoony, but I was still a little bit mad at him 🤣
—how quickly misunderstandings are cleared
—Erika standing up to Clark 👏🏻
What I wanted more of: SPOILERS
—a proper epilogue ☹️. The last chapter isn’t even labeled as epilogue, but it takes place 4 months later 😐. I wanted to see them way into the future ugh 😒. In this book, we get to see the MCs from book 1, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get to see Erika and Troy in the next book since it’s like an MFM book (or maybe they make an appearance?). Either way, I wanted to see more of their future years from now. Like… maybe Erika gets pregnant (😭 I know. But it can happen in her 40s 😭). With these large age gaps, I like knowing they have a promising future ❤️. Sigh. I’ll just pretend 🤣
—caving in quickly. When Troy messes up after he lies to Erika about where he was, she caves too quickly FOR ME lol. She makes him suffer, A LITTLE bit, but not enough 🤣. I like them to sweat bullets 💁🏻♀️😈. I DID appreciate having doubts cleared up quickly, but I like being mad 🤣 so that the MMC suffers 😅
—the Clark stuff. While I appreciated Erika trying to be mature by feeling bad that his cheating-relationship ended, I didn’t🤣. Finding out why he kept calling her felt a little anticlimactic because the chapter ended quickly, but I loved that Erika didn’t bend over and say “aww okay. All’s better” lol
Overall, I really enjoyed it ❤️
⚠️ safety squad ⚠️POSSIBLE SPOILERS
-no cheating/sharing
-cheating* the h catches her husband with another man on her birthday. He’d been cheating on her for a year
-abandonment issues
-OMD: the h’s ex keeps calling her. She never answers. It makes the H a little jealous
-OWD: not really owd but it seems like it: the H is at OW’s house doing music stuff and it seems as if something happened. He was really there composing/fixing a song for the h. The H is against cheating
-dirty talk/anal play/anal/D-s/switch
-condoms/then none/both clean/on birth control
-HEA/last chapter is 4 months later which is kind of an epilogue
Because your pool boy will take GOOD care of you… age ain’t nothing but a number after all💁🏻♀️ 😉
It’s Erika’s (42) birthday and she’s celebrating with her hubby Clark when he gets a work phone call he has to take. Bummed out that another “romantic” night gets ruined after he leaves, Erika decides to go home and change into the sexy lingerie she bought for a special occasion, and she’s gonna surprise her hubby at work and make use of it.
Except when she gets there, SHE’S the one that gets surprised… because her hubby of 20 years has been cheating on her for the last year… with his boss…
What an amazing bday present 😐.
10 months later, her divorce is finalized and Erika’s home early from work on a hot day, so she does the only sensible thing a fit, new-boobs woman does on said hot day- she lays out by the pool topless 😅.
She kind of forgets that it’s Tuesday and her best friend’s son Troy’s (24) there to clean the pool like he does every week 😅. Imagine their surprise when he sees just how comfortable she is around her pool…
Oops 😬.
Little does Erika know that Troy has been crushing on her for a while.
And, it’s been WAAAAY too long since she’s been with anyone…
And, Troy is more than ready to be that person to…
“Help” her out with that little problem 😉
It all becomes a little more complicated when Erika hears how talented he is (musically) and wants to represent him…
But, can people mix work with pleasure? 👀
What I liked/loved: possible spoilers
—the 🔥. I’m not gonna lie… that’s EXACTLY why I picked this up 🤷🏻♀️. NS knows how to write 🔥. It starts off with them watching each other 👀, and when Troy realizes Erika is JUST as attracted to him as he is to her, well, his confidence and alphaness comes out, and… HOOOOOOLY HELLLLLL, it’s 🥵. By 30% ish, we see JUST how connected there are physically 💦. And jeeeezus, it’s 😅💦🥵🔥😉👀🤤😮💨. Emojis do these scenes no justice! 👏🏻
—the diiiiirty talk. This has DUAL diiirty talk, but, of course, my favorite is when Troy uses filthy words 💦. Oh LAWD. Troy. TROOOOOY! You ain’t got no business being so diiirty 🥵. You may be young, but that mouth and… well… d (lol) doesn’t know that 😅😮💨
—cereal eating 💦. Love me a man who has no qualms eating heartedly, even if it’s already creamy 😅
—the maturity in Troy. Although he’s not TOO young, he displayed a maturity men twice his age don’t possess. He’s practical yet still holds onto hope. I love seeing how quickly he absorbs information and how he assesses/reads the room. He isn’t naive or “too” young. It makes him the perfect complement to Erika 🤷🏻♀️
—reverse age gap for the win 👏🏻. We need more of these books 🤷🏻♀️
—the music aspect ❤️. The fact that Troy embodies the dreams Erika always wished to pursue only added a depth ness to their connection. Yes, it could be misconstrued to be about the dreams Erika lost, but it’s way more than that
—how invested Troy is. There is NO other woman for him. In fact, he’s been wanting her for years 👀 (but she was married, so 😐). Erika is what inspired him to develop his talent ❤️. And he worships her in sooo many ways 🥹
—the taboo aspect 😈 duh 😉. Love me some dirty-little-secret books 😮💨
—how strong Erika gets after the divorce. She didn’t let it bring her down. She got even more fit, new boobs, and new confidence she didn’t have before 💁🏻♀️. Yaaaas Erika 👏🏻 get it girl 😮💨
—how he honors her when he performs at the end 🥹. I found this super cute and swoony, but I was still a little bit mad at him 🤣
—how quickly misunderstandings are cleared
—Erika standing up to Clark 👏🏻
What I wanted more of: SPOILERS
—a proper epilogue ☹️. The last chapter isn’t even labeled as epilogue, but it takes place 4 months later 😐. I wanted to see them way into the future ugh 😒. In this book, we get to see the MCs from book 1, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get to see Erika and Troy in the next book since it’s like an MFM book (or maybe they make an appearance?). Either way, I wanted to see more of their future years from now. Like… maybe Erika gets pregnant (😭 I know. But it can happen in her 40s 😭). With these large age gaps, I like knowing they have a promising future ❤️. Sigh. I’ll just pretend 🤣
—caving in quickly. When Troy messes up after he lies to Erika about where he was, she caves too quickly FOR ME lol. She makes him suffer, A LITTLE bit, but not enough 🤣. I like them to sweat bullets 💁🏻♀️😈. I DID appreciate having doubts cleared up quickly, but I like being mad 🤣 so that the MMC suffers 😅
—the Clark stuff. While I appreciated Erika trying to be mature by feeling bad that his cheating-relationship ended, I didn’t🤣. Finding out why he kept calling her felt a little anticlimactic because the chapter ended quickly, but I loved that Erika didn’t bend over and say “aww okay. All’s better” lol
Overall, I really enjoyed it ❤️
⚠️ safety squad ⚠️POSSIBLE SPOILERS
-no cheating/sharing
-cheating* the h catches her husband with another man on her birthday. He’d been cheating on her for a year
-abandonment issues
-OMD: the h’s ex keeps calling her. She never answers. It makes the H a little jealous
-OWD: not really owd but it seems like it: the H is at OW’s house doing music stuff and it seems as if something happened. He was really there composing/fixing a song for the h. The H is against cheating
-dirty talk/anal play/anal/D-s/switch
-condoms/then none/both clean/on birth control
-HEA/last chapter is 4 months later which is kind of an epilogue
Read
January 14, 2022DNF @13%
Yeah, it’s not for me. Why oh why did I not read the sample? 🤦🏻♀️
Yeah, it’s not for me. Why oh why did I not read the sample? 🤦🏻♀️
August 11, 2020
The Pool Boy by Nikki Sloane seems like a hot taboo older woman + younger man romance, and it IS certainly that. That being said, it’s also more than that. It was sweet and emotional for so many reasons. Erika is basically getting her groove and confidence back after catching her husband cheating, and Troy is finding his spot in this world and figuring out what he wants to do with his life. The fact that these two have the hots for each other and tear up the sheets together is just a small bit of how they weave into each other’s lives.
Their relationship isn’t one that is easily accepted for a few reasons outside of the age gap, but I’ll let you discover those while reading. All that said, TPB is hot, it’s steamy, but it’s also romantic AF. I think I want to stay in this Nashville Neighborhood forever!
AVAILABLE NOW!
ARC*
Their relationship isn’t one that is easily accepted for a few reasons outside of the age gap, but I’ll let you discover those while reading. All that said, TPB is hot, it’s steamy, but it’s also romantic AF. I think I want to stay in this Nashville Neighborhood forever!
AVAILABLE NOW!
ARC*
March 15, 2023
jenna’s wayyy better than me cause personally if i caught my best friend hooking up with my 20 year old son i definitely would have started swinging 😍
December 8, 2022
Oh, so what you all are saying is you have been yelling at me about this book for ages and you were actually right??? And I was just a dummy to wait so long to read it???
… I mean, fine.
This was SUCH a good book!!! Nikki Sloane is a terrific writer and had me reading this in one sitting, it was so addicting!
So, this whole Nashville Neighborhood series is about age gap romances, which, I'll admit, is not a trope that I love. Except, of course, as a romance reader, for every trope that I don't love, I have five solid exceptions of books which incorporate it in a way that I really enjoy, and this is definitely one of them for me.
The Pool Boy is about a forty-two-year-old music agent named Erika who caught her husband of twenty years in bed with someone else. Ouch. A year after their divorce, Erika has brand new boobs and a brand new attitude. She's hot and single and maybe she should start living her life again!
We also have Troy, Erika's best friend's twenty-four-year-old son who works on her pool once a week. He's a talented musician who's had a crush on her forever but never really thought anything would come out of it.
Except, one day, Erika forgets that Troy is supposed to come over to tend to her pool and decides to sunbathe. Topless. And he walks in on her. Oops?
This book is beyond hot, obviously, but Nikki also weaves in Erika and Troy's connection through music in a really beautiful way. Erika's whole issue is that she's afraid of giving things she cares about a real try because she's afraid to fail, which is why she never actually tried to pursue a career as a musician and went into music management instead. Seeing her help Troy live out his dreams in the same path she loves, and to be on that road with him through songwriting, was so beautiful.
Erika and Troy's relationship is incredibly intense, but also doesn't feel heavy, if that makes sense. This is an incredibly easy and fast read and gave me all the butterflies!
… I mean, fine.
This was SUCH a good book!!! Nikki Sloane is a terrific writer and had me reading this in one sitting, it was so addicting!
So, this whole Nashville Neighborhood series is about age gap romances, which, I'll admit, is not a trope that I love. Except, of course, as a romance reader, for every trope that I don't love, I have five solid exceptions of books which incorporate it in a way that I really enjoy, and this is definitely one of them for me.
The Pool Boy is about a forty-two-year-old music agent named Erika who caught her husband of twenty years in bed with someone else. Ouch. A year after their divorce, Erika has brand new boobs and a brand new attitude. She's hot and single and maybe she should start living her life again!
We also have Troy, Erika's best friend's twenty-four-year-old son who works on her pool once a week. He's a talented musician who's had a crush on her forever but never really thought anything would come out of it.
Except, one day, Erika forgets that Troy is supposed to come over to tend to her pool and decides to sunbathe. Topless. And he walks in on her. Oops?
This book is beyond hot, obviously, but Nikki also weaves in Erika and Troy's connection through music in a really beautiful way. Erika's whole issue is that she's afraid of giving things she cares about a real try because she's afraid to fail, which is why she never actually tried to pursue a career as a musician and went into music management instead. Seeing her help Troy live out his dreams in the same path she loves, and to be on that road with him through songwriting, was so beautiful.
Erika and Troy's relationship is incredibly intense, but also doesn't feel heavy, if that makes sense. This is an incredibly easy and fast read and gave me all the butterflies!
July 16, 2022
love queen Nikki but this trope just wasn’t for me
July 25, 2022
I NEED A FAN. THIS WAS HOTTER THAN THE NEVADA DESERT IN SUMMER. OMG. LEGIT STEAM COMING OFF THE PAGES.
This is a must-read!! Seriously, I was squealing into my pillow as i read this book—Erika & Troy were sultry perfection.
Tropes: Age Gap (F45, M25), He Fell First, Taboo (BFF’s son), Singer/Songwriter
I love age gap romances, but an age gap with an older woman and younger man? i need more of them!! Troy was head over heels for Erika and was exactly the kind of doting, energetic (wink) BF she needed. He treated her like an absolute goddess and met her thrust for thrust!! I also loved watching Erika embrace her confidence and body positivity, she’s a baddie, end of story.
I’ll admit. I didn’t know how I’d feel about this because for a long time i thought i didn’t like “music star romances” but I’m beginning to think that’s a big old ugly lie. Lol.
ANYWAY - LOVE THIS!!! Def pick it up. I know i need to read the rest of this series ASAP!!
This is a must-read!! Seriously, I was squealing into my pillow as i read this book—Erika & Troy were sultry perfection.
Tropes: Age Gap (F45, M25), He Fell First, Taboo (BFF’s son), Singer/Songwriter
I love age gap romances, but an age gap with an older woman and younger man? i need more of them!! Troy was head over heels for Erika and was exactly the kind of doting, energetic (wink) BF she needed. He treated her like an absolute goddess and met her thrust for thrust!! I also loved watching Erika embrace her confidence and body positivity, she’s a baddie, end of story.
I’ll admit. I didn’t know how I’d feel about this because for a long time i thought i didn’t like “music star romances” but I’m beginning to think that’s a big old ugly lie. Lol.
ANYWAY - LOVE THIS!!! Def pick it up. I know i need to read the rest of this series ASAP!!
July 26, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Honestly, this felt rather tame after some doozies I’ve read by Nikki.
She’s had the most unfulfilling marriage, at least in the bedroom. Which began to make sense when Erica decided to surprise her husband in sexy lingerie at his office, only to find him getting it from his boss. His male boss.
I’m a huge lover of age gaps but I’m guilty of always reading when the guy is older. But if you consider the height of sexuality, it makes more sense for an older woman to get it with a nubile young man.
So Troy is super obsessed with her tits, but in my head I’m like “your favorite thing isn’t actually hers.” Idk, it added a bit too much artifice to me.
🤣🤣🤣 Turn around is most definitely fair play!
The best part of this story was the music and Erika helping him get on that stage. The sex while pretty steamy wasn’t as good as I’ve read by this author in the past. The emotions felt stilted and unbelievable.
Overall not my fave. And if I’m being really honest I would’ve preferred Clark’s story. I think I became most intrigued right before she caught him in the act.
Honestly, this felt rather tame after some doozies I’ve read by Nikki.
She’s had the most unfulfilling marriage, at least in the bedroom. Which began to make sense when Erica decided to surprise her husband in sexy lingerie at his office, only to find him getting it from his boss. His male boss.
I’m a huge lover of age gaps but I’m guilty of always reading when the guy is older. But if you consider the height of sexuality, it makes more sense for an older woman to get it with a nubile young man.
So Troy is super obsessed with her tits, but in my head I’m like “your favorite thing isn’t actually hers.” Idk, it added a bit too much artifice to me.
🤣🤣🤣 Turn around is most definitely fair play!
The best part of this story was the music and Erika helping him get on that stage. The sex while pretty steamy wasn’t as good as I’ve read by this author in the past. The emotions felt stilted and unbelievable.
Overall not my fave. And if I’m being really honest I would’ve preferred Clark’s story. I think I became most intrigued right before she caught him in the act.
August 18, 2022
4 stars
I enjoyed The Pool Boy even more than I did the first book in this series. Although it was an age-gap romance with an older woman/younger man, I truly felt not only the chemistry but the love and the romance in this book. This one felt like it had more depth IMO and I’m looking forward to continuing on with ‘The Architect’.
I enjoyed The Pool Boy even more than I did the first book in this series. Although it was an age-gap romance with an older woman/younger man, I truly felt not only the chemistry but the love and the romance in this book. This one felt like it had more depth IMO and I’m looking forward to continuing on with ‘The Architect’.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Tim Paige & Tara Langella
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 7h 2m
May 2, 2024
2.5⭐️
cute story, smut really good but overall nothing special. sometimes cringe…
cute story, smut really good but overall nothing special. sometimes cringe…
August 15, 2023
sentí cosas con esas escenas spicyyyyyy. y reverse age-gap me da años de vida, amo mucho.
October 7, 2025
3.5 stars
Daammmmnnnn! This was hotter than hot lol. I enjoyed this a lot *wink*
But seriously this was a really good read. I generally don't like reverse age gap, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. I liked both characters. There was none of those bs age gap dramas to be found here, and I love it the more for it. No immature tantrums or miscommunications. Just openness, raw honesty, great communication and dirty filthy times. I love that for them and me too lol
Daammmmnnnn! This was hotter than hot lol. I enjoyed this a lot *wink*
But seriously this was a really good read. I generally don't like reverse age gap, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. I liked both characters. There was none of those bs age gap dramas to be found here, and I love it the more for it. No immature tantrums or miscommunications. Just openness, raw honesty, great communication and dirty filthy times. I love that for them and me too lol
June 27, 2021
I was expecting this to be scorching hot, and it was. But I was not expecting it to be emotional and sweet! This older woman younger man romance was perfection!
January 1, 2022
I was able to squeeze one more book in before the new year. And what a fantastic way to end the year.
I love an excellent reverse age gap. As a middle-aged woman, I can greatly appreciate it. I just need a new pool like Troy, please, and thanks.
The author can write some seriously spicy sex scenes. These two were each other matches in the bedroom and out. I always love when. They get down and dirty.
This book in the series is more emotional than the first, and I felt a connection between the two.
The moral of the story, as Erika learned, is life is short; live your life for today, and love whom the heart wants. No matter the age gap and who cares what people think. Erika is my rockstar. I just love her and have a girl crush on her.
I hope Preston gets a book. He has started to have significant character growth and would love to see his HEA.
I love an excellent reverse age gap. As a middle-aged woman, I can greatly appreciate it. I just need a new pool like Troy, please, and thanks.
The author can write some seriously spicy sex scenes. These two were each other matches in the bedroom and out. I always love when. They get down and dirty.
This book in the series is more emotional than the first, and I felt a connection between the two.
The moral of the story, as Erika learned, is life is short; live your life for today, and love whom the heart wants. No matter the age gap and who cares what people think. Erika is my rockstar. I just love her and have a girl crush on her.
I hope Preston gets a book. He has started to have significant character growth and would love to see his HEA.
October 5, 2023
4.25⭐️
THANK GOODNESS I GAVE THIS BOOK A SHOT! The first book was NOT my cup of tea, but I ate this book up!!!
One chapter in and it was already better than the first book for me. This was just a quick and spicy read that had me hooked from cover to cover.
The audiobook was great! Highly recommend.
THANK GOODNESS I GAVE THIS BOOK A SHOT! The first book was NOT my cup of tea, but I ate this book up!!!
One chapter in and it was already better than the first book for me. This was just a quick and spicy read that had me hooked from cover to cover.
The audiobook was great! Highly recommend.
August 2, 2022
I had so much fun listening to The Pool Boy, which surprised me since I am not exactly a fan of Miss Sloane writing before.
Lately I have been looking for different konf of forbidden romance. The trope of older heroine and much younger hero getting my attention. Miss Sloane combines it nicely with complicated friendship and family dynamic. I like Erika. Her character is indeed very mature. And I am entertained.
Overall a very enjoyable book.
4 stars
Lately I have been looking for different konf of forbidden romance. The trope of older heroine and much younger hero getting my attention. Miss Sloane combines it nicely with complicated friendship and family dynamic. I like Erika. Her character is indeed very mature. And I am entertained.
Overall a very enjoyable book.
4 stars
October 9, 2021
4 stars
Delivered 100% on smuttiness, but also has an actual story/character worth caring, The Pool Boy is a well-rounded package that packs in the steam, an atypical romantic scenario (older woman/younger man), and a convincingly constructed Nashville music scene. Even though the amount of spicy sex in the middle was so constant I was on the verge of being desensitized, the strong character set up in the beginning and the emotionally-charged closing act made sure it was overall a very balanced distribution of the erotic and the romance. Will definitely seek out the remaining books from this series!
Delivered 100% on smuttiness, but also has an actual story/character worth caring, The Pool Boy is a well-rounded package that packs in the steam, an atypical romantic scenario (older woman/younger man), and a convincingly constructed Nashville music scene. Even though the amount of spicy sex in the middle was so constant I was on the verge of being desensitized, the strong character set up in the beginning and the emotionally-charged closing act made sure it was overall a very balanced distribution of the erotic and the romance. Will definitely seek out the remaining books from this series!
May 31, 2022
3-3.5 stars! I liked the romance and the build up and the writing but I don't like celebrity rockstar themes lol. I also thought the taboo portion was a bit too much for me because it's her best friend's son...
August 14, 2020
Sometimes a single book is all it takes to get your reading mojo back, and this was exactly the jolt I so desperately needed. And while age-gap romances are a personal favourite of mine, and I've known for a while now that NO ONE does steam like Nikki Sloane, I should have known better than to think that a sexy, fun little romance is all I'd find behind this mouthwatering cover. With fully fleshed-out characters and a surprising amount of depth to every single aspect of this story, the author delivers a truly satisfying reading experience that grabs you from the get-go. I smiled like a goof throughout it, loving every delicious second of it, and can't recommend it highly enough if you need a book to simply make you ESCAPE.
September 7, 2021
i think i might be biased on this one because im not as into the older woman trope. i was just fine for me, but i love nikki sloanes writing
January 23, 2022
Rating: 2.8 / 5
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!
Oh this one, I was just kind of...meh.
Neutral.
___________________________________
If I had to sum up what exactly didn't hit the mark for me, I think I could narrow it down to two major things:
1. Erika did not feel like a genuine character,
and
2. No one's reactions felt real enough or passionate enough
Ahem, now to break it down in more detail.
The Problem with Erika
Basically, Erika doesn't read like or feel like a 42-year-old woman. The main reason why I tried out this book was because the older woman + younger man trope isn't used that often, and so, having few reference points, I fully admit to expecting something like The Graduate.
The problem though, is that where The Graduate does this trope right in very much having the older woman take the lead, being confident, and dominant in nature, Erika isn't really any of that except in spurts and moments. Like...
It's less of THIS
and more of THIS
in terms of how Erika's acting and what's going on. At one point she even says to Troy that she feels like a virgin, which, pardon my saying so, is complete bullshit at 42 unless you actually ARE a virgin. And Erika, ahem, is definitely not. (And this also makes it less believable when a few pages later she's gone into full cougar-mode. *rolls eyes*)
Ahem, so yeah, I don't think that the author really sold well on that point. Maybe an older woman character is just harder to write in romances? Maybe that's it, and only a few authors can really hit the mark.
I feel no shame in saying that Nikki Sloane most certainly did not.
The Problem With Everyone Else
And now comes the second reason/flaw with this book--that no one's reactions felt "real" enough. I've already gone over my problems with Erika enough, so I'm now going to switch gears to everyone else.
Specifically, Troy, his mother, Jenna, and Erika's ex-husband, Clark.
In Troy's case, it's almost Dr. Jekyll-Mr.Hyde-ish how he switches from being confident one minute to being all nervous and hesitant the next, from being submissive to being dominant and so on. Now, that's not to say that a person can't be all these things in different situations, but with Troy, the transitions happen from one page to the next with...really no smoothness to them. It feels like he was written in such a contrived manner to just suit the plot and what Erika "needed" at any given moment, that he could easily switch from being "a horny boy" to being Mr. Effing-fantastic-dominant-daddy in zero to one seconds.
Also, and I'm sorry, but I didn't completely buy into his crush on Erika either. Five years?! And just because he heard her sing a song and then "privately" tell her husband how she wanted him to fuck her? Like, okay, I can buy into a temporary lust because of that, but not a five year (useless) plan that wouldn't have worked anyway because she was effing married for most of that! (Oh, and, additionally, you canNOT tell me that Troy remained 100% faithful to his crush on Erika in all that time either. If he's a 24 year old healthy male and as hot as the book describes him to be, there's no way he stayed celibate in that all time.)
*sighs* Anyway, to move on to Jenna, I basically felt that she didn't get mad enough when she found out about Erika and Troy. I mean, maybe that sounds mean of me since I don't think this is meant to be an angst-filled read, but come on! You're talking about her SON hooking up with her BEST FRIEND WHO'S ALMOST TWENTY YEARS OLDER THAN SAID SON!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a brother who's in his early 20s right now and I can 10000000% guarantee that my mother would lose her shit and nearly have a heart attack if he was in that position.
So, in other words, though Jenna did get mad, it wasn't mad enough, and though she wouldn't have grounds to call protective services or anything since Troy's an adult and all, I was surprised that she didn't put up more of a fight and do much worse to Erika like a restraining order or something. It left me with lukewarm feelings, to be honest.
And, finally, there's Clark. *winces* Yeah, he's the villain of the piece since he cheated on Erik and all that, but...I'm sorry, his side plot is just stupid.
Oh, not the falling in love with a man part, no. That part I was totally on board with, even while I did think it was stupid for him to say that neither he nor his partner were gay--I mean, having sex between males is what gay is, and she literally caught them in the act, so saying that they don't swing that way is kind of useless; at least admit that you're bi or at least open to being bi, if nothing else.
Ahem, but no, the part of the plot that I really hated was how
___________________________________
All in all, my complaining aside, those were the two major reasons that I took two stars off for this rating. I also took some points off because the sex scenes, while supposed to be "steamy" were pretty much just average. I mean, I've read way hotter stuff before is all. In fact, for me, the hottest scene was at the beginning when neither Erika nor Troy are even touching each other, as that held a lot more of the "forbidden" aspect of their romance than when they just fling all else to hell and have at each other like bunnies. "Forbidden" should contain more of the whole "don't touch" aspect than it did, if you ask me.
Anyway, all in all, the overall rating still rates up to 3 stars, giving this a decent average rating. It failed to impress me, but it's also a hard trope to master, so I give the author credit for trying.
I'll be giving some other of Nikki Sloane's works a try, more specifically The Doctor, since I've read reviews that say it's similar to Birthday Girl, which I loved. The older man/younger woman trope may be WAY more common in romance books, but it still never fails to draw me in, so I'll definitely be giving it a try.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!
Oh this one, I was just kind of...meh.
Neutral.
___________________________________
If I had to sum up what exactly didn't hit the mark for me, I think I could narrow it down to two major things:
1. Erika did not feel like a genuine character,
and
2. No one's reactions felt real enough or passionate enough
Ahem, now to break it down in more detail.
The Problem with Erika
Basically, Erika doesn't read like or feel like a 42-year-old woman. The main reason why I tried out this book was because the older woman + younger man trope isn't used that often, and so, having few reference points, I fully admit to expecting something like The Graduate.
The problem though, is that where The Graduate does this trope right in very much having the older woman take the lead, being confident, and dominant in nature, Erika isn't really any of that except in spurts and moments. Like...
It's less of THIS
and more of THIS
in terms of how Erika's acting and what's going on. At one point she even says to Troy that she feels like a virgin, which, pardon my saying so, is complete bullshit at 42 unless you actually ARE a virgin. And Erika, ahem, is definitely not. (And this also makes it less believable when a few pages later she's gone into full cougar-mode. *rolls eyes*)
Ahem, so yeah, I don't think that the author really sold well on that point. Maybe an older woman character is just harder to write in romances? Maybe that's it, and only a few authors can really hit the mark.
I feel no shame in saying that Nikki Sloane most certainly did not.
The Problem With Everyone Else
And now comes the second reason/flaw with this book--that no one's reactions felt "real" enough. I've already gone over my problems with Erika enough, so I'm now going to switch gears to everyone else.
Specifically, Troy, his mother, Jenna, and Erika's ex-husband, Clark.
In Troy's case, it's almost Dr. Jekyll-Mr.Hyde-ish how he switches from being confident one minute to being all nervous and hesitant the next, from being submissive to being dominant and so on. Now, that's not to say that a person can't be all these things in different situations, but with Troy, the transitions happen from one page to the next with...really no smoothness to them. It feels like he was written in such a contrived manner to just suit the plot and what Erika "needed" at any given moment, that he could easily switch from being "a horny boy" to being Mr. Effing-fantastic-dominant-daddy in zero to one seconds.
Also, and I'm sorry, but I didn't completely buy into his crush on Erika either. Five years?! And just because he heard her sing a song and then "privately" tell her husband how she wanted him to fuck her? Like, okay, I can buy into a temporary lust because of that, but not a five year (useless) plan that wouldn't have worked anyway because she was effing married for most of that! (Oh, and, additionally, you canNOT tell me that Troy remained 100% faithful to his crush on Erika in all that time either. If he's a 24 year old healthy male and as hot as the book describes him to be, there's no way he stayed celibate in that all time.)
*sighs* Anyway, to move on to Jenna, I basically felt that she didn't get mad enough when she found out about Erika and Troy. I mean, maybe that sounds mean of me since I don't think this is meant to be an angst-filled read, but come on! You're talking about her SON hooking up with her BEST FRIEND WHO'S ALMOST TWENTY YEARS OLDER THAN SAID SON!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a brother who's in his early 20s right now and I can 10000000% guarantee that my mother would lose her shit and nearly have a heart attack if he was in that position.
So, in other words, though Jenna did get mad, it wasn't mad enough, and though she wouldn't have grounds to call protective services or anything since Troy's an adult and all, I was surprised that she didn't put up more of a fight and do much worse to Erika like a restraining order or something. It left me with lukewarm feelings, to be honest.
And, finally, there's Clark. *winces* Yeah, he's the villain of the piece since he cheated on Erik and all that, but...I'm sorry, his side plot is just stupid.
Oh, not the falling in love with a man part, no. That part I was totally on board with, even while I did think it was stupid for him to say that neither he nor his partner were gay--I mean, having sex between males is what gay is, and she literally caught them in the act, so saying that they don't swing that way is kind of useless; at least admit that you're bi or at least open to being bi, if nothing else.
Ahem, but no, the part of the plot that I really hated was how
___________________________________
All in all, my complaining aside, those were the two major reasons that I took two stars off for this rating. I also took some points off because the sex scenes, while supposed to be "steamy" were pretty much just average. I mean, I've read way hotter stuff before is all. In fact, for me, the hottest scene was at the beginning when neither Erika nor Troy are even touching each other, as that held a lot more of the "forbidden" aspect of their romance than when they just fling all else to hell and have at each other like bunnies. "Forbidden" should contain more of the whole "don't touch" aspect than it did, if you ask me.
Anyway, all in all, the overall rating still rates up to 3 stars, giving this a decent average rating. It failed to impress me, but it's also a hard trope to master, so I give the author credit for trying.
I'll be giving some other of Nikki Sloane's works a try, more specifically The Doctor, since I've read reviews that say it's similar to Birthday Girl, which I loved. The older man/younger woman trope may be WAY more common in romance books, but it still never fails to draw me in, so I'll definitely be giving it a try.
May 31, 2023
I had a freaking great time reading this. I loved Troy and Erika. Top tier spice and a really sweet plot.
August 10, 2020
<3 4 STARS <3
It was a long time since I read a hot book, and believe me when I say this, this is a really hot read!I would say it's refreshing,fun,sexy and heartwarming!
This is the perfect summer read, it's fast paced and kept my interest from the beginning!I read it in one stting!Erika is newly divorced and she needs a man,her pool boy is super hot and he is also her best friends son.
Erika and Troy’s relationship was great, there weren't only hot moments there were so much more.I liked that there was a connection between them!
Such a great read!
It was a long time since I read a hot book, and believe me when I say this, this is a really hot read!I would say it's refreshing,fun,sexy and heartwarming!
This is the perfect summer read, it's fast paced and kept my interest from the beginning!I read it in one stting!Erika is newly divorced and she needs a man,her pool boy is super hot and he is also her best friends son.
Erika and Troy’s relationship was great, there weren't only hot moments there were so much more.I liked that there was a connection between them!
Such a great read!
October 14, 2022
The pool boy is a fun and steamy age-gap romance between a recently divorced woman, Erika, and her son's best friend Troy. What starts as something forbidden and fun becomes such a genuine connection between an older woman and a younger man. This author writes such great steamy scenes that have a great connection between the two characters. I loved this age gap and cannot wait to read more from this series.
April 24, 2022
3.25⭐️ Now the story was kinda ass but the smut was literally 5/5🌶 like wtf, I’m still stuck on the part about the eating and the- you know what i’m gonna stop
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