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The Guys Who Got Away #5
The Dream Guy Next Door
Length: 6 hours 38 minutes
A sexy, swoony falling-for-the-neighbor standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!
Just my luck - my new next door neighbor is a unicorn.
Yep, the British hottie is clearly a mythical man because - get this - he's a sexy, witty, charming, big-hearted single dad.
Who, wait for it, wants to find Mrs. Right and get hitched.
He’s a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of man, and it’s a darn shame I’m not on the market. If I were, his accent alone would melt me. Add in the fact that he's a veterinarian, and my animal-loving heart would be flip flopping.
But my heart's on the mend. I'm a single parent like him, and raising my teenage daughter is my top priority. Plus, falling for a guy who shares your property line is a line you shouldn’t cross.
Still, I'm an outgoing gal, so I do the neighborly thing and offer to be his dating insider.
Surely, I can help this small town’s most eligible bachelor ever navigate his way through all the fantastic single ladies eager to make his acquaintance.
What could possibly go wrong in helping the dream guy next door find his one true love?
So I set him up on one date, two dates, three dates -- and I’m about to find out exactly how dangerous my offer is.
A sexy, swoony falling-for-the-neighbor standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!
Just my luck - my new next door neighbor is a unicorn.
Yep, the British hottie is clearly a mythical man because - get this - he's a sexy, witty, charming, big-hearted single dad.
Who, wait for it, wants to find Mrs. Right and get hitched.
He’s a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of man, and it’s a darn shame I’m not on the market. If I were, his accent alone would melt me. Add in the fact that he's a veterinarian, and my animal-loving heart would be flip flopping.
But my heart's on the mend. I'm a single parent like him, and raising my teenage daughter is my top priority. Plus, falling for a guy who shares your property line is a line you shouldn’t cross.
Still, I'm an outgoing gal, so I do the neighborly thing and offer to be his dating insider.
Surely, I can help this small town’s most eligible bachelor ever navigate his way through all the fantastic single ladies eager to make his acquaintance.
What could possibly go wrong in helping the dream guy next door find his one true love?
So I set him up on one date, two dates, three dates -- and I’m about to find out exactly how dangerous my offer is.
7 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 30, 2020
1207 people are currently reading
2663 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Blakely
256 books24.2k followersYou can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,032 reviews
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July 7, 2022
The Dream Guy Next Door is book five in The Guys Who Got Away series by Lauren Blakely. This can easily be read as a complete stand alone. I have not read any of the previous books in this series. Big admission here! I have read ALL of Lauren’s MM romances but not very many of her MF books! I’ve had this sitting in my Kindle library for a long time and finally decided to pull it out and dust it off. Best...Decision...Ever!!!
January is thirty seven years old and lives in Duck Falls, California with her fifteen year old daughter, Wednesday. I loved their names! January has been divorced for a few years and it was an easy divorce. But it took her awhile to figure out what she wanted to do with her life as a single parent. She is a very talented carpenter and finally decided to start her own business which is going really well. She has a great life, a great relationship with her daughter and a job she loves. Then a new neighbor moved in next door. A single dad with the sexiest British accent she has ever heard and a face and body that belongs on a magazine cover.
Liam Harris is thirty nine years old and is a single dad to his ten year old son, Ethan. Liam is a veterinarian and has been living and practicing in New York but his parents need him to be closer to them so they packed up their life and prepared to start a new one in Duck Falls. Along with a new town and a new life, Liam is ready to settle down and find a woman he can love forever, maybe have more children. He could not believe the beautiful, smart, sexy woman is his new next door neighbor. But they couldn’t be more different. She’s a vegetarian. He does not like vegetables! He wants to find his forever. She is enjoying being single and has no interest in relationships. She’s his neighbor which by itself makes her off limits.
“She won’t be Mrs. Right. She can only be Ms. Next Door.”
These two were so completely adorable together. Their banter was so much fun. They were snarky and their conversations were filled with sexy innuendo. It was the sweetest thing watching them fall for each other. To be honest, this entire book is just a feel good, warm and fuzzy, make your heart happy book. And I have to add that probably about the last twenty percent I fell even more in love with these two. When I read the last sentence of it, I realized I was smiling and isn’t that just the best way to end a book?
“Everything feels so possible with him.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
January is thirty seven years old and lives in Duck Falls, California with her fifteen year old daughter, Wednesday. I loved their names! January has been divorced for a few years and it was an easy divorce. But it took her awhile to figure out what she wanted to do with her life as a single parent. She is a very talented carpenter and finally decided to start her own business which is going really well. She has a great life, a great relationship with her daughter and a job she loves. Then a new neighbor moved in next door. A single dad with the sexiest British accent she has ever heard and a face and body that belongs on a magazine cover.
Liam Harris is thirty nine years old and is a single dad to his ten year old son, Ethan. Liam is a veterinarian and has been living and practicing in New York but his parents need him to be closer to them so they packed up their life and prepared to start a new one in Duck Falls. Along with a new town and a new life, Liam is ready to settle down and find a woman he can love forever, maybe have more children. He could not believe the beautiful, smart, sexy woman is his new next door neighbor. But they couldn’t be more different. She’s a vegetarian. He does not like vegetables! He wants to find his forever. She is enjoying being single and has no interest in relationships. She’s his neighbor which by itself makes her off limits.
“She won’t be Mrs. Right. She can only be Ms. Next Door.”
These two were so completely adorable together. Their banter was so much fun. They were snarky and their conversations were filled with sexy innuendo. It was the sweetest thing watching them fall for each other. To be honest, this entire book is just a feel good, warm and fuzzy, make your heart happy book. And I have to add that probably about the last twenty percent I fell even more in love with these two. When I read the last sentence of it, I realized I was smiling and isn’t that just the best way to end a book?
“Everything feels so possible with him.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
June 8, 2025
Needed a palate cleanser book before jumping into a duology. 👍 it served its purpose. 😝
December 28, 2024
When the dirty talk and banter are so cringe you feel sorry for the narrator 😬
The term ‘biteable tush’ was used way too many times. FYI: the acceptable number of times for that phrase to be used is zero.
Ok there was some good points to this book too, if you can ignore the banter, the terrible dirty talk and cringey sex.
1. The heroine was a carpenter and a badass. She was late thirties and did not want any more children than the one she had. She never changed her mind and mad respect for that.
2. The hero was kind of a dork but mostly an ideal, perfect man written by a woman. Kind of bland overall but not bad for a short novella where there isn’t enough time to redeem an asshole.
3. Excellent narration except I did not get why the American child had a British accent when he’d never lived a second across the pond.
So this was a run of the mill romcom novella with a tiny bit of conflict and a lot of insta love. Not bad. Nothing special. These audible original freebies are mid for the most part so I expected it.
The term ‘biteable tush’ was used way too many times. FYI: the acceptable number of times for that phrase to be used is zero.
Ok there was some good points to this book too, if you can ignore the banter, the terrible dirty talk and cringey sex.
1. The heroine was a carpenter and a badass. She was late thirties and did not want any more children than the one she had. She never changed her mind and mad respect for that.
2. The hero was kind of a dork but mostly an ideal, perfect man written by a woman. Kind of bland overall but not bad for a short novella where there isn’t enough time to redeem an asshole.
3. Excellent narration except I did not get why the American child had a British accent when he’d never lived a second across the pond.
So this was a run of the mill romcom novella with a tiny bit of conflict and a lot of insta love. Not bad. Nothing special. These audible original freebies are mid for the most part so I expected it.
September 11, 2025
a single dad who wants to settle down, loves cooking and baking, loves animals and an adorable geek…my dream date, cute
also an extra star for the heroine bc she did not get pregnant at the end✊🏻
also an extra star for the heroine bc she did not get pregnant at the end✊🏻
December 7, 2020
A fantastic listening treat...
The Dream Guy Next Door reinforced my beliefs that you can't marry expecting your partner to change in the future. Relationships are about compromise and loving someone enough to want their happiness as much as your own. It also delved into getting out of relationships that aren't working and learning to accept and move on when life changes or gives you lemons. This story is realistic, fun, very sexy, and I loved every minute of it. PLUS...I got to listen to the dreamy Shane East (Shane's English accent is VERY sexy) and the very entertaining Vanessa Edwin.
I was thoroughly delighted with this fairly short romance story about single parents finding love in their late 30's. There was no bashing ex's which was nice for a change. In her case, she got out of a loveless marriage to a nice guy who was a great dad to their daughter. In his case, he was never in a relationship with the mother of his son. There's a lot more to that part of the story but I don't want to give away any spoilers.
This was the perfect listen while enjoying my holidays. It has not been a chore to get up and go for my morning walk by the beach and listen to the very sexy Shane East. Lauren Blakely has again written a story that left me extremely satisfied. Teaming up with these narrators took a fantastic story to the next level, and made my listening experience exceptional. I will definitely be back for more from this author and the narrators.
The Dream Guy Next Door reinforced my beliefs that you can't marry expecting your partner to change in the future. Relationships are about compromise and loving someone enough to want their happiness as much as your own. It also delved into getting out of relationships that aren't working and learning to accept and move on when life changes or gives you lemons. This story is realistic, fun, very sexy, and I loved every minute of it. PLUS...I got to listen to the dreamy Shane East (Shane's English accent is VERY sexy) and the very entertaining Vanessa Edwin.
I was thoroughly delighted with this fairly short romance story about single parents finding love in their late 30's. There was no bashing ex's which was nice for a change. In her case, she got out of a loveless marriage to a nice guy who was a great dad to their daughter. In his case, he was never in a relationship with the mother of his son. There's a lot more to that part of the story but I don't want to give away any spoilers.
This was the perfect listen while enjoying my holidays. It has not been a chore to get up and go for my morning walk by the beach and listen to the very sexy Shane East. Lauren Blakely has again written a story that left me extremely satisfied. Teaming up with these narrators took a fantastic story to the next level, and made my listening experience exceptional. I will definitely be back for more from this author and the narrators.
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March 14, 2021
3.5 stars
The Dream Guy Next Door is a fun, low drama rom-com. It is set in a small town in sunny California.
Liam is a 40-ish British vet that moves from New York with his 10 year old son to Duck Falls to be closer to his family. He wants to settle down, have a family and more kids.
January, his neighbor, is a 37 year old self employed divorced carpenter, with a 15 year old daughter. She just wants to focus on her business and life as a single mom.
These two have great chemistry and fun banter. They are obviously great for each other but they are in very different places in their lives. How will they be able to make it work?
I enjoyed the book. It is really easy to read and the character are close in age to me for a change. That being said, I couldn't connect with them very well. I was always an outsider looking in and it felt a bit instalovey. I would have appreciated a bit more drama, I guess.
However, I enjoy Lauren Blakely's writing. I binged her Big Rock series in 2019 and it was a lot of fun. All her books are relaxing and entertaining. And this book is no different.
***ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review***
The Dream Guy Next Door is a fun, low drama rom-com. It is set in a small town in sunny California.
Liam is a 40-ish British vet that moves from New York with his 10 year old son to Duck Falls to be closer to his family. He wants to settle down, have a family and more kids.
January, his neighbor, is a 37 year old self employed divorced carpenter, with a 15 year old daughter. She just wants to focus on her business and life as a single mom.
These two have great chemistry and fun banter. They are obviously great for each other but they are in very different places in their lives. How will they be able to make it work?
I enjoyed the book. It is really easy to read and the character are close in age to me for a change. That being said, I couldn't connect with them very well. I was always an outsider looking in and it felt a bit instalovey. I would have appreciated a bit more drama, I guess.
However, I enjoy Lauren Blakely's writing. I binged her Big Rock series in 2019 and it was a lot of fun. All her books are relaxing and entertaining. And this book is no different.
***ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review***
March 26, 2021
Once again, Lauren has managed to make my heart swoon! I loved just about everything about January and Liam’s journey. The choices for this story were just about perfect in my opinion. Their story was real to me. They were real to me. They were written as smart and independent grown people who made smart choices. They communicated well with each other. They believed in each other, and when they didn’t, they hashed it out like gown-ups. I can’t tell you how trite the whole miscommunication thing has become for me and I appreciated that it did not take place with this story! It was refreshing and a pleasure to read! I enjoyed their banter and their chemistry and ease of their story.
While I enjoyed reading both Liam and January’s openness to their conflict and their willingness to talk it thru, this particular conflict is not one that just gets resolved in a *poof* like manner. I get that no one wants to read 600-page books with a huge portion of the book leaning towards struggles, but it is what it is, and this book needed more pages for me to believe these two would endure the test of time. That doesn’t mean I didn’t believe in their love for each other, I just don’t think the resolution was very realistic for the long term.
3.5 but way closer to 4 than 3 STARS!!
While I enjoyed reading both Liam and January’s openness to their conflict and their willingness to talk it thru, this particular conflict is not one that just gets resolved in a *poof* like manner. I get that no one wants to read 600-page books with a huge portion of the book leaning towards struggles, but it is what it is, and this book needed more pages for me to believe these two would endure the test of time. That doesn’t mean I didn’t believe in their love for each other, I just don’t think the resolution was very realistic for the long term.
3.5 but way closer to 4 than 3 STARS!!
December 8, 2020
3.5 stars
December 13, 2020
This is probably the favorite Lauren Blakely book I have listened to. But I'm still giving it three stars. Really, all of her books have been about three star books for me. They are nice enough, but they don't really pop for me. I can't remember how I ended up owning so many of them on audio book. They must go on super sale a lot, and the covers are cute, so I grab them.
Anyway, this is the story of two neighbors who hit it off immediately and fall in love. That's it. Happily Ever After. Or it should be, but that would be a short book, so there's drama. Actually, in this story the drama is pretty much at a minimum because both Liam and January are adults who actually manage to TALK to each other about their issues. No needless heartache due to misunderstandings. They are both very open about their hopes and dreams. It was refreshing.
Liam is a man who discovered that he had a son only after the son was seven and the mother finally contacted him when she learned she was dying of cancer. He feels a lot of sadness for those lost years, and he yearns to give his son the memories of family that he had growing up, so he's in search of THE ONE. He's ready to be happily married, and so this town of single women is in heaven. The blurb makes it sound like Liam's search for a woman to love would be a huge chunk of this story. I imagined that it would be a constant tale of dates gone wrong, but in reality there were just a couple of dates that weren't awful. But Liam's heart was already gone for January, so he knew he couldn't commit to any other girl. But he keeps saying that he has a firm "no dating neighbors" policy that can't be broken ... only to break that "firm" policy pretty quickly.
January says that she isn't interested in any relationship. She is perfectly happy to be just as she is. She says this several times, but her actions show that she is falling for her neighbor hard. The story really tries to focus on January's self-sufficiency and non-traditional roles as an owner of a construction/repair company and a general competent fixer-upper person. She's focused on her career and her daughter and she doesn't need a man to complete her. But really she finds that she does need Liam. I appreciated the way this was written. January was strong and competent and independent, but she was also able to welcome Liam into her life. It was okay for her to need him. It didn't make her weak to want a relationship. I did like this. It doesn't have to be all or nothing either way.
But here's the big problem they have, and it's a doozy. Liam wants more children. He wants a bigger family. January does not. At all. She's not interested in restarting the baby years. That's a significant stumbling block for a couple. I LOVED that the issue keeping them from committing was such a real one. Too often the issue that comes up in these stories is that someone is afraid that if they commit they'll be hurt someday, so there's drama. This issue is one that seems like people might actually deal with in real life more often. I thought that Liam and January handled it REALLY well, being open about what they wanted and recognizing the problem with moving forward in a relationship when they wanted such different things. I liked this a lot. But, I have to say that I thought that the resolution of this issue was too easy. They were both too ready to throw out their wishes and just go for it because they were in love, and love conquers all, right? I know that this happens all the time. We find someone we love, we get neck deep into the joy and exultation of that love, and we think that we are perfectly okay to throw away our dreams because we are so in love. It works for a second, but pretty soon life happens and we get less giddy about our love and more practical. That's when our dreams have a funny way of re-entering our psyche, and suddenly we realize that maybe we were a bit too quick to agree to squash them. That's why I have a hard time believing that Liam and January are going to have this easily of a HEA ending. I think they'll have a bit of growing pains to endure later on. I didn't buy the quick resolution to their stumbling block, but I did appreciate the honesty of both lead characters in addressing it. I think that's why this rises to the top of my Lauren Blakely reads. It lands somewhere between a three and four star read for me, and maybe on another read I would bump it up. The narration is lovely for this one. Shane East's British accent is divine and automatically enhances any story, in my opinion. Three stars for this. I liked it.
Anyway, this is the story of two neighbors who hit it off immediately and fall in love. That's it. Happily Ever After. Or it should be, but that would be a short book, so there's drama. Actually, in this story the drama is pretty much at a minimum because both Liam and January are adults who actually manage to TALK to each other about their issues. No needless heartache due to misunderstandings. They are both very open about their hopes and dreams. It was refreshing.
Liam is a man who discovered that he had a son only after the son was seven and the mother finally contacted him when she learned she was dying of cancer. He feels a lot of sadness for those lost years, and he yearns to give his son the memories of family that he had growing up, so he's in search of THE ONE. He's ready to be happily married, and so this town of single women is in heaven. The blurb makes it sound like Liam's search for a woman to love would be a huge chunk of this story. I imagined that it would be a constant tale of dates gone wrong, but in reality there were just a couple of dates that weren't awful. But Liam's heart was already gone for January, so he knew he couldn't commit to any other girl. But he keeps saying that he has a firm "no dating neighbors" policy that can't be broken ... only to break that "firm" policy pretty quickly.
January says that she isn't interested in any relationship. She is perfectly happy to be just as she is. She says this several times, but her actions show that she is falling for her neighbor hard. The story really tries to focus on January's self-sufficiency and non-traditional roles as an owner of a construction/repair company and a general competent fixer-upper person. She's focused on her career and her daughter and she doesn't need a man to complete her. But really she finds that she does need Liam. I appreciated the way this was written. January was strong and competent and independent, but she was also able to welcome Liam into her life. It was okay for her to need him. It didn't make her weak to want a relationship. I did like this. It doesn't have to be all or nothing either way.
But here's the big problem they have, and it's a doozy. Liam wants more children. He wants a bigger family. January does not. At all. She's not interested in restarting the baby years. That's a significant stumbling block for a couple. I LOVED that the issue keeping them from committing was such a real one. Too often the issue that comes up in these stories is that someone is afraid that if they commit they'll be hurt someday, so there's drama. This issue is one that seems like people might actually deal with in real life more often. I thought that Liam and January handled it REALLY well, being open about what they wanted and recognizing the problem with moving forward in a relationship when they wanted such different things. I liked this a lot. But, I have to say that I thought that the resolution of this issue was too easy. They were both too ready to throw out their wishes and just go for it because they were in love, and love conquers all, right? I know that this happens all the time. We find someone we love, we get neck deep into the joy and exultation of that love, and we think that we are perfectly okay to throw away our dreams because we are so in love. It works for a second, but pretty soon life happens and we get less giddy about our love and more practical. That's when our dreams have a funny way of re-entering our psyche, and suddenly we realize that maybe we were a bit too quick to agree to squash them. That's why I have a hard time believing that Liam and January are going to have this easily of a HEA ending. I think they'll have a bit of growing pains to endure later on. I didn't buy the quick resolution to their stumbling block, but I did appreciate the honesty of both lead characters in addressing it. I think that's why this rises to the top of my Lauren Blakely reads. It lands somewhere between a three and four star read for me, and maybe on another read I would bump it up. The narration is lovely for this one. Shane East's British accent is divine and automatically enhances any story, in my opinion. Three stars for this. I liked it.
January 7, 2022
Loved this with all my heart. Hot guy next door and single parents romance? Chefs kiss. We love that. Also so fucking steamy helloooo 🔥🔥🔥 loved this
Read
January 6, 2021DNF around 40%, no star rating. There’s not any conflict, or much to the plot. Not awful, just boring.
March 16, 2022
a cute angst-free single mom and single dad romance.
December 24, 2025
Oh my goddd this was adorable!
Okay I usually don’t talk about character names but oh my goshhh I loved the names in this book, it added so much character and charm!!!
Okay I usually don’t talk about character names but oh my goshhh I loved the names in this book, it added so much character and charm!!!
February 3, 2022
What the hell was that?!
This book is just… bad. I hate to give books bad reviews but I really honestly just couldn’t with this one, the plot was???? Well that’s what I am asking myself. There was no plot.
The cliche “perfect guy” was unbelievable. Insta love but to the point it was just weird. Who meets a neighbour then starts saying “fuck me deeper” after a week of knowing each other. I honestly really disliked this. And WHEN 15 year olds act like mini adults that have so much wisdom and insight into parents love life- yuck.
I didn’t care about the characters and the chemistry wasn’t believable.
This book is just… bad. I hate to give books bad reviews but I really honestly just couldn’t with this one, the plot was???? Well that’s what I am asking myself. There was no plot.
The cliche “perfect guy” was unbelievable. Insta love but to the point it was just weird. Who meets a neighbour then starts saying “fuck me deeper” after a week of knowing each other. I honestly really disliked this. And WHEN 15 year olds act like mini adults that have so much wisdom and insight into parents love life- yuck.
I didn’t care about the characters and the chemistry wasn’t believable.
August 17, 2024
I listened to this book via Audible Original.
I loved the will they won't they, friends to lovers storyline.
Really liked all the characters.
The only niggle I had which was a lil off-putting at times was, when they switched male & female narratives they should of kept to the same voices. When January was narrating and speaking Liam's voice it was nothing like, Liam's accent.
I preferred it when Liam read his parts. Just my preference.
However it was a really good story, with a fair bit of raunchy scenes, some adorable fur babies and a great cast of eclectic characters.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
I loved the will they won't they, friends to lovers storyline.
Really liked all the characters.
The only niggle I had which was a lil off-putting at times was, when they switched male & female narratives they should of kept to the same voices. When January was narrating and speaking Liam's voice it was nothing like, Liam's accent.
I preferred it when Liam read his parts. Just my preference.
However it was a really good story, with a fair bit of raunchy scenes, some adorable fur babies and a great cast of eclectic characters.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
March 1, 2022
I absolutely loved this boos and as i listened to this on Audible I watched it play out in my mind and it is one of those books that I want to see on screen.
I adore these small towns, with friends and neighbours who all know each other and when the hot new neighbour moves in next door, single but not ready to mingle with her neighbour January, she agrees to help him date.
I shall leave the rest for you to find out, a super flirty, romantic listen.
I adore these small towns, with friends and neighbours who all know each other and when the hot new neighbour moves in next door, single but not ready to mingle with her neighbour January, she agrees to help him date.
I shall leave the rest for you to find out, a super flirty, romantic listen.
November 11, 2021
Lauren Blakely does sweet, uncomplicated and funny like a champ.
This one sadly was too sickly sweet for me.
By saying that - I still enjoy the writing, so the lower rating is not because Ms. Blakely can’t write, it was just not working for me. ☺️✨
I did really appreciate that the female MC had a male dominated job. It’s GREAT to see a female being represented it that area. I also loved the whole (I am allowed to not want more kids scenario).
Two great inputs that gave the story an extra kick.
Read: 11/11/2021
1st rating: 2 stars
Genre/tropes: Contemporay romance
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Dual -1st person
Will I recommend: Nah
This one sadly was too sickly sweet for me.
By saying that - I still enjoy the writing, so the lower rating is not because Ms. Blakely can’t write, it was just not working for me. ☺️✨
I did really appreciate that the female MC had a male dominated job. It’s GREAT to see a female being represented it that area. I also loved the whole (I am allowed to not want more kids scenario).
Two great inputs that gave the story an extra kick.
Read: 11/11/2021
1st rating: 2 stars
Genre/tropes: Contemporay romance
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Dual -1st person
Will I recommend: Nah
March 31, 2023
This was a sweet and low angst single parent romance. I appreciated that the characters were older and knew what they wanted. There isn’t a ton of drama and the conflict that does arise was understandable and relatable. Even though I didn’t want excess drama, there also wasn’t anything unique about the book to truly keep me engaged.
The narration by Vanessa Edwin and Shane East was wonderful and this was an easy listen, but the story itself was just ok.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5 stars
CW: death of parent (secondary character, past), MMC’s father is going blind, MMC didn’t meet/know about his son until he was almost 7
The narration by Vanessa Edwin and Shane East was wonderful and this was an easy listen, but the story itself was just ok.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5 stars
CW: death of parent (secondary character, past), MMC’s father is going blind, MMC didn’t meet/know about his son until he was almost 7
August 11, 2021
She was a single parent raising her 15 year old daughter. The British veterinarian hottie movies in next door. He is a single parent with a 7 year old. She set up on dates with other women so she doesn't fall for him. The table turns and they fall in love with each other.
December 19, 2021
cutesy romance between two single parents
February 5, 2023
The Dram Guy Next Door is book 5 of the “Guys Who Got Away” series by author Lauren Blakely. It is a standalone romance. Dual POV with a HEA.
Tropes:
✔️ forced proximity because… neighbors
✔️ British hero, new in town veterinarian
✔️ single parents
✔️ carpenter heroine
✔️ small town with a glitter factory and a ton of women positive relationships
Single mother and carpenter extraordinaire January is happy with her career and her great relationship with her fifteen-year-old daughter Wednesday.
She isn’t looking for love or a relationship until a sexy single father, veterinarian with the sexiest British accent moves in next door.
Because Liam Harris IS looking for love and marriage, January decides to do the nice neighborly thing and be his dating guru. They can’t deny the attraction and incredible connection they’ve developed, but as they start to fall, can the also find a common ground for a future together?
It was such a treat watching Liam and January’s romance. From their fun, snarky and sexy banter, to their honest conversations about their hopes and dreams.
I loved January’s relationship with her daughter. Liam’s desire to be the best father he can and not miss a thing was incredibly endearing. January’s strength and independence was admirable, and together they were just so perfect I couldn’t help but fall for them too.
The Dream Guy Next Door gave me all the warm fuzzies.
By the numbers quick review:
★ Hero: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Heroine: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ I own this book and listened to the audio. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
★See all my book edits on Instagram
Tropes:
✔️ forced proximity because… neighbors
✔️ British hero, new in town veterinarian
✔️ single parents
✔️ carpenter heroine
✔️ small town with a glitter factory and a ton of women positive relationships
Single mother and carpenter extraordinaire January is happy with her career and her great relationship with her fifteen-year-old daughter Wednesday.
She isn’t looking for love or a relationship until a sexy single father, veterinarian with the sexiest British accent moves in next door.
Because Liam Harris IS looking for love and marriage, January decides to do the nice neighborly thing and be his dating guru. They can’t deny the attraction and incredible connection they’ve developed, but as they start to fall, can the also find a common ground for a future together?
It was such a treat watching Liam and January’s romance. From their fun, snarky and sexy banter, to their honest conversations about their hopes and dreams.
I loved January’s relationship with her daughter. Liam’s desire to be the best father he can and not miss a thing was incredibly endearing. January’s strength and independence was admirable, and together they were just so perfect I couldn’t help but fall for them too.
The Dream Guy Next Door gave me all the warm fuzzies.
By the numbers quick review:
★ Hero: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Heroine: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ I own this book and listened to the audio. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
★See all my book edits on Instagram
August 8, 2024
Ok, Lauren Blakely saved me again.
I needed something that would distract me from "things " that I couldn't change, and bam, Lauren's audiobook popped on my audible, for free! 🤷🏻♀️
It's fate. It's meant to be that way.
I should relax, I was supposed to lie lazily in the garden all day and do nothing but listen to her books 🤣
This sweet and swoony romance is just what the doctor and therapist subscribed 😉
He's a great guy.
A single dad searching for a woman who will be his person.
He doesn't want a wife.
He wants a friend.
Someone who will give him a better life, who will want him for him and not for his money.
He's perfect.
Funny, smart and has a great job.
The only problem is that our heroine has enough of men.
She wants to be herself.
Not changing her life for a man, again 🙄
I've read the first few words from blurb and bingo, I knew I needed to read it.
I enjoyed every second of this wonderful romantic book.
I needed something that would distract me from "things " that I couldn't change, and bam, Lauren's audiobook popped on my audible, for free! 🤷🏻♀️
It's fate. It's meant to be that way.
I should relax, I was supposed to lie lazily in the garden all day and do nothing but listen to her books 🤣
This sweet and swoony romance is just what the doctor and therapist subscribed 😉
He's a great guy.
A single dad searching for a woman who will be his person.
He doesn't want a wife.
He wants a friend.
Someone who will give him a better life, who will want him for him and not for his money.
He's perfect.
Funny, smart and has a great job.
The only problem is that our heroine has enough of men.
She wants to be herself.
Not changing her life for a man, again 🙄
I've read the first few words from blurb and bingo, I knew I needed to read it.
I enjoyed every second of this wonderful romantic book.
November 26, 2025
Very Gilmore Girls vibes! Small town romance. Single dad/mom. Fun banter. Perfect palate cleanser. Super sweet light & fluffy. Unconventionally created family. Happy endings.
March 9, 2021
Lauren has once again given me a swoon worthy leading man in Liam the single dad and veterinarian. Now let us add into the mix January. She is a single mom to a teenage daughter named Wednesday. She is a carpenter, a total Ms. Fix it and all around sassy heroine.
This is a small town romance that is sweet, sassy, sexy and has wonderful witty smart banter. Liam and January find themselves neighbors with an immediate attraction and a fun flirty friendship. We also have a wonderfully funny, nosy, opinionated supporting cast that they call neighbors and it was just an all around funny read!
I truly loved their comfortable, easy interactions and fabulous chemistry! Yes they may have wanted different things in life but when you meet that certain someone your outlook is subject to change!!! Loved them!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
This is a small town romance that is sweet, sassy, sexy and has wonderful witty smart banter. Liam and January find themselves neighbors with an immediate attraction and a fun flirty friendship. We also have a wonderfully funny, nosy, opinionated supporting cast that they call neighbors and it was just an all around funny read!
I truly loved their comfortable, easy interactions and fabulous chemistry! Yes they may have wanted different things in life but when you meet that certain someone your outlook is subject to change!!! Loved them!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
January 8, 2021
I enjoyed this sweet but sexy story.
Duck Falls is a small town full of strong woman who all want a man and one just happens to move there with his son.
January is a divorced mom who is also a kick butt carpenter. (I loved that!)
Her daughter is Wednesday their relationship is fantastic I like how they are friends as well as mother, daughter.
Liam moves in next door with his son, Ethan. They become good friends when January helps him give the insight on some of the women who get a date with Liam.
But things become muddy when feelings come involved. ;) I adored this story and how they both see that you don’t have to give up what you want for what you need. Your priorities change.
Enjoyed the heck out of the narration!!
Duck Falls is a small town full of strong woman who all want a man and one just happens to move there with his son.
January is a divorced mom who is also a kick butt carpenter. (I loved that!)
Her daughter is Wednesday their relationship is fantastic I like how they are friends as well as mother, daughter.
Liam moves in next door with his son, Ethan. They become good friends when January helps him give the insight on some of the women who get a date with Liam.
But things become muddy when feelings come involved. ;) I adored this story and how they both see that you don’t have to give up what you want for what you need. Your priorities change.
Enjoyed the heck out of the narration!!
January 9, 2025
1⭐️
Was counting down the minutes until I was done with this one. Honestly, all you need to know about this book is that the FMCs name is January and her daughter’s name is Wednesday.
Was counting down the minutes until I was done with this one. Honestly, all you need to know about this book is that the FMCs name is January and her daughter’s name is Wednesday.
March 14, 2021
4.5 stars!
The Dream Guy Next door is so much fun! It’s a feel good read that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart. I couldn’t get enough of January and Liam and I adored their story.
January has spent more than ten years raising her daughter and she is finally making a name for herself as a contractor in the small town of Duck Falls. She is happily single and isn’t planning on changing her status; however, things don’t always go as planned especially when the hot new neighbor may just be her dream guy!
When Liam moves next door to January, there is an instant spark. Yet, after talking and getting to know each other they quickly discover that they want completely different things in their lives, putting a stop to being more than just friends. Liam is looking to settle down and find the one who can complete his family. January has finally built a career and is happy in her life. You can’t help who you fall in love with and before they know it, real feelings grow and they must decide if their futures include each other.
I loved the friendship that forms between January and Liam. Because they are not looking for the same thing, they don’t need to impress each other. They still flirt and the banter is fantastic and they really let go when they don’t expect anything except friendship.
I loved experiencing January and Liam fall for each other. Their connection is undeniable and their chemistry is sizzling. They really bring on the heat but it’s their friendship that really allows them to take a chance on love. They get along so well and understand each other. They don’t push their ideas on one another and are accepting of who they are and where they are in their lives. They are mature and there is no stupid drama or childishness between them. They are functional as a couple, their communication is fantastic, and even when they had to figure out their futures, they still were amazing.
Overall, it’s funny, swoony, and sexy with a whole lot of heart. Not only do I love the romance but I adored the relationships between January and Wednesday, and Liam and Ethan. They are superstar parents who are involved in their kid’s lives and support them, love them, and put them first.
*ARC generously provided by the author and Candi Kane PR*
The Dream Guy Next door is so much fun! It’s a feel good read that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart. I couldn’t get enough of January and Liam and I adored their story.
January has spent more than ten years raising her daughter and she is finally making a name for herself as a contractor in the small town of Duck Falls. She is happily single and isn’t planning on changing her status; however, things don’t always go as planned especially when the hot new neighbor may just be her dream guy!
When Liam moves next door to January, there is an instant spark. Yet, after talking and getting to know each other they quickly discover that they want completely different things in their lives, putting a stop to being more than just friends. Liam is looking to settle down and find the one who can complete his family. January has finally built a career and is happy in her life. You can’t help who you fall in love with and before they know it, real feelings grow and they must decide if their futures include each other.
For a few seconds, we stay like that, gazes locked, eyes searching, longing wrapping around us.
Like a low, steady pulse of music.
Like a waft of smoke.
It’s longing stitched with wishes and wants, with desire and heat. With things we can’t have because we’re out of sync.
I loved the friendship that forms between January and Liam. Because they are not looking for the same thing, they don’t need to impress each other. They still flirt and the banter is fantastic and they really let go when they don’t expect anything except friendship.
I loved experiencing January and Liam fall for each other. Their connection is undeniable and their chemistry is sizzling. They really bring on the heat but it’s their friendship that really allows them to take a chance on love. They get along so well and understand each other. They don’t push their ideas on one another and are accepting of who they are and where they are in their lives. They are mature and there is no stupid drama or childishness between them. They are functional as a couple, their communication is fantastic, and even when they had to figure out their futures, they still were amazing.
Overall, it’s funny, swoony, and sexy with a whole lot of heart. Not only do I love the romance but I adored the relationships between January and Wednesday, and Liam and Ethan. They are superstar parents who are involved in their kid’s lives and support them, love them, and put them first.
*ARC generously provided by the author and Candi Kane PR*
March 12, 2021
In The Dream Guy Next Door you have a sexy British guy, a veterinarian no less. Who became a single dad after learning he was a father when a one night stand dropped his son often to tell him she was dying. Now having been a father for three years he is starting over in a new city to take over his fathers practice.
January is the girl next door who happens to have tattoos, is a carpenter and loves pink. She is also a single mom, to a 15 year old daughter.
It was refreshing to hear about the guy actually wanting to find a wife. January being set against it. So when Liam starts dating, January struggles with her feelings, while Liam compares his dates to January.
While this is a slow burn with not much happening aside from fun friendly banter, the steam does pick up around 60% in. There is some miscommunication surrounding the idea of more kids and leads to some issues towards the end, but the HEA was worked out well.
Overall, a good read with fun sexy banter, friends to lovers, sassy and adorable kids. Check it out!
January is the girl next door who happens to have tattoos, is a carpenter and loves pink. She is also a single mom, to a 15 year old daughter.
It was refreshing to hear about the guy actually wanting to find a wife. January being set against it. So when Liam starts dating, January struggles with her feelings, while Liam compares his dates to January.
While this is a slow burn with not much happening aside from fun friendly banter, the steam does pick up around 60% in. There is some miscommunication surrounding the idea of more kids and leads to some issues towards the end, but the HEA was worked out well.
Overall, a good read with fun sexy banter, friends to lovers, sassy and adorable kids. Check it out!
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March 7, 2021
A sweet, charming, small town romance that will just have you feeling good from start to finish.
January is a single mother to her daughter, Wednesday. She is a carpenter, which I loved that fact about her. She is hard working and a great parent, but has never truly found love. Liam is a single father to his son Ethan, a vet and new to town after moving from New York City. He is a rare man and is looking to settle down with someone but just hasn’t found that right person yet.
I loved friendship that quickly formed between January and Liam, even though there was plenty of tension between them from the start. The banter back and forth between them had me laughing so many times throughout the story. I loved the interaction each of them had with their children, too. Both January and Liam are just lovable characters who are real and believable.
If you’re looking for a single parent, small town romance that will leave you feeling good this is one to read!
January is a single mother to her daughter, Wednesday. She is a carpenter, which I loved that fact about her. She is hard working and a great parent, but has never truly found love. Liam is a single father to his son Ethan, a vet and new to town after moving from New York City. He is a rare man and is looking to settle down with someone but just hasn’t found that right person yet.
I loved friendship that quickly formed between January and Liam, even though there was plenty of tension between them from the start. The banter back and forth between them had me laughing so many times throughout the story. I loved the interaction each of them had with their children, too. Both January and Liam are just lovable characters who are real and believable.
If you’re looking for a single parent, small town romance that will leave you feeling good this is one to read!
January 23, 2022
January is a single mum of a teenage daughter and a super talented carpenter. Her small town is abuzz about news of someone moving into the house next to hers. Word on the street is that it is a man and all the singles want to know is if he is on the dating market.
Liam is looking forward to settling into a new place and getting a new routine to his life. He is a single dad to a son he only recently came to know was in existence. Despite all that, they have a very close bond. What he does know is that he is ready to find that special someone to marry and maybe start a family with. He had no idea how many local woman would be interested.
Liam doesn’t even have to try, everywhere he goes he is hit up for dates, mainly from other people setting up their single friends or family members. While all of this is going on he is also building a great connection with January, his gorgeous neighbor. They have so much fun together but he also knows that she is not keen on having any more children so anything more with her probably won’t happen.
January is feeling things for Liam but she needs to weigh up whether or not she would be willing to make sacrifices and change her mind on what she wants for the right person. She is thinking that Liam is her right person.
My light and easy audio listen of the week was just what I needed. No angst and plenty of romancing :)
Liam is looking forward to settling into a new place and getting a new routine to his life. He is a single dad to a son he only recently came to know was in existence. Despite all that, they have a very close bond. What he does know is that he is ready to find that special someone to marry and maybe start a family with. He had no idea how many local woman would be interested.
Liam doesn’t even have to try, everywhere he goes he is hit up for dates, mainly from other people setting up their single friends or family members. While all of this is going on he is also building a great connection with January, his gorgeous neighbor. They have so much fun together but he also knows that she is not keen on having any more children so anything more with her probably won’t happen.
January is feeling things for Liam but she needs to weigh up whether or not she would be willing to make sacrifices and change her mind on what she wants for the right person. She is thinking that Liam is her right person.
My light and easy audio listen of the week was just what I needed. No angst and plenty of romancing :)
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