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The Dating Games #1
The Virgin Next Door
Raise your hand if you’ve ever done this. Written a racy message and sent it to— oops —the wrong person.
Yeah, me too. Except, I sent my latest Tales of a Naughty Virgin column detailing my fantasies about my hot, charming, thoroughly bangable next-door-neighbor to…MY ENTIRE COMPANY. Did I mention I’m a children’s book editor?
Well, I was .
*Facepalm*
At least the column goes viral, but I’m still the gal who gets fired for her not-safe-for-work thoughts about the so-called “Mister Sexy Pants.” Now I need a job stat, so I jump on the first opportunity. And I come face to face with my new boss.
Mister Sexy Pants himself. Number two? Don't fall for the man as I get to know my hot boss, who's kind, caring, and sexy as sin. Contents A sexy and clever romp of an MF, dual-POV, mistaken identity romantic comedy, complete with dating mishaps, sizzling sexual tension, a hot nerd boss hero, a chaotically delightful heroine, an awkward incident with glitter, and a virgin’s NSFW to-do list.
Yeah, me too. Except, I sent my latest Tales of a Naughty Virgin column detailing my fantasies about my hot, charming, thoroughly bangable next-door-neighbor to…MY ENTIRE COMPANY. Did I mention I’m a children’s book editor?
Well, I was .
*Facepalm*
At least the column goes viral, but I’m still the gal who gets fired for her not-safe-for-work thoughts about the so-called “Mister Sexy Pants.” Now I need a job stat, so I jump on the first opportunity. And I come face to face with my new boss.
Mister Sexy Pants himself. Number two? Don't fall for the man as I get to know my hot boss, who's kind, caring, and sexy as sin. Contents A sexy and clever romp of an MF, dual-POV, mistaken identity romantic comedy, complete with dating mishaps, sizzling sexual tension, a hot nerd boss hero, a chaotically delightful heroine, an awkward incident with glitter, and a virgin’s NSFW to-do list.
350 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2022
2820 people are currently reading
7419 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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August 29, 2022
The Virgin Next Door is book one in The Dating Games series by Lauren Blakely. This is a light hearted, sexy romance that is sure to make you smile.
Veronica Valentine is twenty six years old and is working at a job she loves, editing children’s books. Only Veronica has a side job as well, she writes a racey anonymous column, The Virgin Club. Because yes, Veronica is a virgin. She’s not waiting for “The One” but more for, “the right one that makes her want to give it up.” So far that hasn’t happened. Except when she first meets her sexy next door neighbor, “Mr. Sexy Pants,” she can’t help but fantasize that he could definitely be up for the job! So much so that she includes him in her column, only when she hits send, she accidentally sends it to her entire publishing company, including her very old fashioned clients. It looks like she’s going to need a new job.
Milo Dawson is twenty nine years old and owns his own business, Bikes and Blooms, a half bicycle shop and half flower shop. Milo is still recuperating from a very bad relationship with a woman that turned out to be a con artist. When the manager of the flower side of his business needs to take her maternity leave, Milo needs a replacement and finds it with his sexy neighbor, Veronica, who came highly recommended. She and Milo had met previously not knowing who the other was and sparks were flying. But now she’s his employee. Milo is on a dating hiatus so he needs to keep his distance anyway. But the lovely Veronica makes that very difficult.
Veronica loves her new job but it is only temporary. She still wants to get back into the editing business if they’ll let her back in. But for now, she’s enjoying trying out all sorts of new ideas in helping to market Bikes and Blooms. She’s also enjoying getting to ogle her boss who gives her plenty of ideas for her still ongoing column.
Veronica and Milo can’t resist each other forever. Veronica might have been a virgin but she is a very sexually positive woman and Milo is the perfect man to help her check off plenty of items on her fantasy list. But she has to remember that Milo is only interested in the now, not the future. They both need to keep their hearts out of it and just concentrate on having fun.
This was such a cute story with adorable pets, plenty of sexy times and plenty smiles. Both Milo and Veronica were adorable together. Veronica might have thought she knew what her dream job was but maybe it took the disappointment of losing that dream to find what she was really meant to do. And maybe even who she was meant to be with. The next book in the series will be book two, My So Called Sex Life which is Hazel and Axel’s story.
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...
Veronica Valentine is twenty six years old and is working at a job she loves, editing children’s books. Only Veronica has a side job as well, she writes a racey anonymous column, The Virgin Club. Because yes, Veronica is a virgin. She’s not waiting for “The One” but more for, “the right one that makes her want to give it up.” So far that hasn’t happened. Except when she first meets her sexy next door neighbor, “Mr. Sexy Pants,” she can’t help but fantasize that he could definitely be up for the job! So much so that she includes him in her column, only when she hits send, she accidentally sends it to her entire publishing company, including her very old fashioned clients. It looks like she’s going to need a new job.
Milo Dawson is twenty nine years old and owns his own business, Bikes and Blooms, a half bicycle shop and half flower shop. Milo is still recuperating from a very bad relationship with a woman that turned out to be a con artist. When the manager of the flower side of his business needs to take her maternity leave, Milo needs a replacement and finds it with his sexy neighbor, Veronica, who came highly recommended. She and Milo had met previously not knowing who the other was and sparks were flying. But now she’s his employee. Milo is on a dating hiatus so he needs to keep his distance anyway. But the lovely Veronica makes that very difficult.
Veronica loves her new job but it is only temporary. She still wants to get back into the editing business if they’ll let her back in. But for now, she’s enjoying trying out all sorts of new ideas in helping to market Bikes and Blooms. She’s also enjoying getting to ogle her boss who gives her plenty of ideas for her still ongoing column.
Veronica and Milo can’t resist each other forever. Veronica might have been a virgin but she is a very sexually positive woman and Milo is the perfect man to help her check off plenty of items on her fantasy list. But she has to remember that Milo is only interested in the now, not the future. They both need to keep their hearts out of it and just concentrate on having fun.
This was such a cute story with adorable pets, plenty of sexy times and plenty smiles. Both Milo and Veronica were adorable together. Veronica might have thought she knew what her dream job was but maybe it took the disappointment of losing that dream to find what she was really meant to do. And maybe even who she was meant to be with. The next book in the series will be book two, My So Called Sex Life which is Hazel and Axel’s story.
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...
November 29, 2022
DNF’d @ 17%
I just couldn’t with the MCs. It was all over the place.
I just couldn’t with the MCs. It was all over the place.
August 14, 2022
This book would make a good RomCom movie. The book is funny and interesting, but too sweet and vanilla for me.
August 9, 2025
3.5 Stars
A decent romcom. It was well-paced and super easy to consume in a day or two. I particularly enjoyed the fun and flirty connection between the main characters, Veronica and Milo, with their equally friendly and upbeat personalities, their effortlessly mutual banter, and their increasingly steamy romance.
The premise was entertaining, too. Veronica is our virgin FMC. She’s a children’s book editor by day and a saucy sex columnist by night. That is, until she accidentally (thanks to her manipulative cat) sends her latest raunchy piece to the wrong email cohort and gets herself promptly fired from the world of publishing.
Thankfully, Veronica still has her hugely popular Tales of a Naughty Virgin to keep her productive juices flowing until she can decide what professional course to take next. She also finds her mind (and body) well-occupied by her increasingly flirtatious run-ins with a man she’s named in her head (and in her column for all to read about) as “Mr Sexy Pants.”
With a bit of serendipitous good fortune, Veronica soon finds herself getting a temporary job as a florist in a strange but inspired bikes and flower combo shop—Bikes and Blooms—where she discovers her new neighbourhood crush (Mr Sexy Pants) is also her new boss, Milo.
This had a bit of a cheeky “workplace romance” vibe to it, as Veronica and Milo tried (and failed) to keep some professional boundaries despite their mounting sexual tension. It also had a brief but amusing “hidden identity” element, as Veronica kept secretly writing her column, which highly features Milo’s Mr Sexy Pants.
I worried for brief second that some of the narrative drama would come in the form of Milo finding out that Veronica was the Virgin Sex Columnist, but that wasn’t an issue in the slightest—in fact, the reveal scene came earlier than expected, and Milo’s eagerness and excitement over learning about Veronica’s hidden identity was probably the best part of the story for me.
Their relationship was pretty smooth sailing, compared to most contemporary romance stories of this nature, and I appreciated that the little conflict that existed—in the form of Milo being a bit hesitate to fall in love again—was so low angst and practically drama free, that this whole story really felt light and feel good in tone, which I really appreciated in the moment.
I also liked how Veronica and her virgin status were portrayed, both embraced and completely normalised. She was so open and honest with herself (and her readers), sharing a very healthy and honest expression of her womanhood, her sexual identity, her personal kinks, and her deepest desires, regardless of her physical experience or lack thereof. She was a virgin who knew exactly what she did and didn’t want, holding no shame or inhibitions surrounding sex. Basically, she was an extremely sex-positive virgin and I loved that about her.
Overall, this was a fun and breezy read. I liked the characters and the relationship, with just the right amount of good banter, hot sex, and plenty of healthy adult communication to make me smile.
******************************
Audio Edition:
This was a dual narration by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton. Both did a solid job bringing these characters and the cheeky, upbeat tone of the story to life.
A decent romcom. It was well-paced and super easy to consume in a day or two. I particularly enjoyed the fun and flirty connection between the main characters, Veronica and Milo, with their equally friendly and upbeat personalities, their effortlessly mutual banter, and their increasingly steamy romance.
The premise was entertaining, too. Veronica is our virgin FMC. She’s a children’s book editor by day and a saucy sex columnist by night. That is, until she accidentally (thanks to her manipulative cat) sends her latest raunchy piece to the wrong email cohort and gets herself promptly fired from the world of publishing.
Thankfully, Veronica still has her hugely popular Tales of a Naughty Virgin to keep her productive juices flowing until she can decide what professional course to take next. She also finds her mind (and body) well-occupied by her increasingly flirtatious run-ins with a man she’s named in her head (and in her column for all to read about) as “Mr Sexy Pants.”
With a bit of serendipitous good fortune, Veronica soon finds herself getting a temporary job as a florist in a strange but inspired bikes and flower combo shop—Bikes and Blooms—where she discovers her new neighbourhood crush (Mr Sexy Pants) is also her new boss, Milo.
This had a bit of a cheeky “workplace romance” vibe to it, as Veronica and Milo tried (and failed) to keep some professional boundaries despite their mounting sexual tension. It also had a brief but amusing “hidden identity” element, as Veronica kept secretly writing her column, which highly features Milo’s Mr Sexy Pants.
I worried for brief second that some of the narrative drama would come in the form of Milo finding out that Veronica was the Virgin Sex Columnist, but that wasn’t an issue in the slightest—in fact, the reveal scene came earlier than expected, and Milo’s eagerness and excitement over learning about Veronica’s hidden identity was probably the best part of the story for me.
Their relationship was pretty smooth sailing, compared to most contemporary romance stories of this nature, and I appreciated that the little conflict that existed—in the form of Milo being a bit hesitate to fall in love again—was so low angst and practically drama free, that this whole story really felt light and feel good in tone, which I really appreciated in the moment.
I also liked how Veronica and her virgin status were portrayed, both embraced and completely normalised. She was so open and honest with herself (and her readers), sharing a very healthy and honest expression of her womanhood, her sexual identity, her personal kinks, and her deepest desires, regardless of her physical experience or lack thereof. She was a virgin who knew exactly what she did and didn’t want, holding no shame or inhibitions surrounding sex. Basically, she was an extremely sex-positive virgin and I loved that about her.
Overall, this was a fun and breezy read. I liked the characters and the relationship, with just the right amount of good banter, hot sex, and plenty of healthy adult communication to make me smile.
******************************
Audio Edition:
This was a dual narration by Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton. Both did a solid job bringing these characters and the cheeky, upbeat tone of the story to life.
September 5, 2022
A nice read. Super fluffly. Too fluffy? I loved the premise but sometimes along the way I ended skimming through the on going relationship between the couple so there is that. I wasn't much invested in the romance neither the sex and if my pervy-self doesn't even bat an eye at the sex on page something is definitely wrong! This was light and had its funny moments though many of those felt forced. I do love dogs but this was almost a dog romance with so much focus on them.
Could be my mood though. 😅
Could be my mood though. 😅
August 20, 2022
The Virgin Next Door is book 1 of the Dating Games by Lauren Blakely. It is a standalone rom-com, told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Tropes:
✔️ Workplace
✔️ Virgin with a naughty side
✔️ Big city
✔️ Adorable pets
Veronica Valentine loves her children’s editing job, but she moonlights as anonymous sexy column known as The Virgin Club. But after she accidentally sends a sensual article about “Mr. Sexy Pants” to a very conservative client, she’s in a heap of trouble and in need of a new job.
Luckily for her she quickly finds a temporary job working at Milo Dawson’s Bikes and Blooms (half bicycle, half flower) shop. The not so great news is that Milo is the one and only “Mr. Sexy Pants.” Can they maintain a professional relationship or will their attraction be too much?
Both Veronica and Milo are incredible characters. Veronica is smart, fun and sexually positive. Milo is more than up to the task to help her tick off her sexy fantasy list.
I love Lauren Blakely’s books, they’re fun, flirty and always leave me with a huge smile on my face. With witty banter and explosive chemistry, The Virgin Next Door is a wonderful addition to Lauren’s catalogue.
★ Hero: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Heroine: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 4.4
★ I received an ARC from the author via Candi Kane. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
★See all my book edits on Instagram
Tropes:
✔️ Workplace
✔️ Virgin with a naughty side
✔️ Big city
✔️ Adorable pets
Veronica Valentine loves her children’s editing job, but she moonlights as anonymous sexy column known as The Virgin Club. But after she accidentally sends a sensual article about “Mr. Sexy Pants” to a very conservative client, she’s in a heap of trouble and in need of a new job.
Luckily for her she quickly finds a temporary job working at Milo Dawson’s Bikes and Blooms (half bicycle, half flower) shop. The not so great news is that Milo is the one and only “Mr. Sexy Pants.” Can they maintain a professional relationship or will their attraction be too much?
Both Veronica and Milo are incredible characters. Veronica is smart, fun and sexually positive. Milo is more than up to the task to help her tick off her sexy fantasy list.
I love Lauren Blakely’s books, they’re fun, flirty and always leave me with a huge smile on my face. With witty banter and explosive chemistry, The Virgin Next Door is a wonderful addition to Lauren’s catalogue.
★ Hero: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Heroine: 👤👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 4.4
★ I received an ARC from the author via Candi Kane. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
★See all my book edits on Instagram
March 23, 2023
This was fine.
The premise was delightfully appealing: Veronica, a children's book editor by day and virgin sex columnist by night, accidentally e-mails a draft of said column to the wrong distribution list. As someone who lived in mortal fear of copying the wrong person(s) during my law firm days, the empathy was real.
The subject of Veronica's latest column is "Mr. Sexy Pants," aka her neighbor Milo, with whom she had a few meet-cutes. The e-mail mix-up leaves Veronica unemployed, and as she waits for the controversy to fade, she takes a temporary job in a combination bike/flower shop. Guess who's her boss? If you guessed Milo, you'd be right!
I mostly enjoyed Veronica and Milo's banter, which was funny and fun. Their dogs were adorable; if I'm being honest, the dogs kind of stole the show. Something was missing in the characterization and development of the romance. Veronica and Milo were a bit flat, and while I enjoy laughter and sweetness as much as the next reader, the story felt almost too shallow. I ultimately was more interested in Veronica's evolving career journey than her relationship with Milo.
Again, a fine read if you want something not deep and very fluffy.
The premise was delightfully appealing: Veronica, a children's book editor by day and virgin sex columnist by night, accidentally e-mails a draft of said column to the wrong distribution list. As someone who lived in mortal fear of copying the wrong person(s) during my law firm days, the empathy was real.
The subject of Veronica's latest column is "Mr. Sexy Pants," aka her neighbor Milo, with whom she had a few meet-cutes. The e-mail mix-up leaves Veronica unemployed, and as she waits for the controversy to fade, she takes a temporary job in a combination bike/flower shop. Guess who's her boss? If you guessed Milo, you'd be right!
I mostly enjoyed Veronica and Milo's banter, which was funny and fun. Their dogs were adorable; if I'm being honest, the dogs kind of stole the show. Something was missing in the characterization and development of the romance. Veronica and Milo were a bit flat, and while I enjoy laughter and sweetness as much as the next reader, the story felt almost too shallow. I ultimately was more interested in Veronica's evolving career journey than her relationship with Milo.
Again, a fine read if you want something not deep and very fluffy.
October 2, 2022
I really didn't enjoy this book very much. Aside from some nice banter between the eventual lovers thete just wasn't anything interesting about this. The characters were a lot too hip and successful for my taste. Even though more serious topics were mentioned, to me it seemed like not much else than lip service. And in my opinion that's actually a disservice for topics like mental health, depression and anxiety.
August 1, 2022
The Virgin Next Door is a fun but super sexy read about a virgin who writes an anonymous sex column that features the mysterious Mister Sexy Pants who ends up becoming her boss. Veronica and Milo’s story sucks you in from the get go with their flirty banter, sexy times, and all the feel goods!
September 28, 2023
What happens when a women accidentally sends the sex column she was writing for her side gig to her entire company, which happened to contain her fantasies about a handsome stranger she called mister sexy pants??? You’ll have to read to find out 😏
This was such a cute but also sexy RomCom that had me giggling & actually laughing out loud! I absolutely love it when the banter between the MCs is actually good & this book did it for me, ESPECIALLY with their text threads! Ugh I love text threads in books. AND CAN WE HEAR IT FOR SEX POSITIVITY!!! Love to see it.
I started off reading it as an ebook but switched over to audio & I LOVED THE AUDIO! Teddy Hamilton y’all 🤤🤤 super well done, and we have so many amazing characters throughout the book!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Tropes:
Virgin heroine
Mistaken identity
Boss x employee
Neighbors
RomCom
This was such a cute but also sexy RomCom that had me giggling & actually laughing out loud! I absolutely love it when the banter between the MCs is actually good & this book did it for me, ESPECIALLY with their text threads! Ugh I love text threads in books. AND CAN WE HEAR IT FOR SEX POSITIVITY!!! Love to see it.
I started off reading it as an ebook but switched over to audio & I LOVED THE AUDIO! Teddy Hamilton y’all 🤤🤤 super well done, and we have so many amazing characters throughout the book!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Tropes:
Virgin heroine
Mistaken identity
Boss x employee
Neighbors
RomCom
August 12, 2022
Although it took me a bit to get into the story, once I did, I was all in!!
✔️Sexy ✔️Heartwarming ✔️Romantic ✔️Entertaining ✔️Witty
*happy sigh* *heart eyes*
FIND OUT MORE ➡️ https://wp.me/p7rQ0C-9oV
✔️Sexy ✔️Heartwarming ✔️Romantic ✔️Entertaining ✔️Witty
*happy sigh* *heart eyes*
FIND OUT MORE ➡️ https://wp.me/p7rQ0C-9oV
September 2, 2022
A HIPSTER BETA WITH ALPHA MOVES ON A GIRL THAT DROVE ME BATTY
"Sex and sandwiches and love"
Here I am surfing the fence on this one. The prequel was divine. The chapter titles were perfecto. The characters ... well, only a few days after being swept off my feet by the charming banter and meet cute-over-cake in the prequel novella Mister Sexy Pants … I couldn’t remember a single thing about this book! Bad sign. It had a definite quirk appeal, what with “cake babe” and friendly neighborhood virgin Veronica (26) aka a children’s book editor moonlighting as a virgin columnist writing about sex toys -- I mean how non sequitur is that! -- and hipster guy Milo (28) whom she mistook as a cake shop employee aka Mr. Sexy Pants because of his cute tush was busy dodging and terrified of a man-eating ex who wants to steal his beloved dog. He actually runs a flower shop and was hunky in a Beta-Alpha kind of way, and not just because he wore skinny, checkered pants, and such. Admittedly, he loves clothes, so sue him.
Can you say campy? They were a very unconventional pair of lovers with plenty of humor, flirty banter, a love of vocabulary, and sexy-sexy times, especially after the fates finally fling them back together again when the prequel scattered them both separately to the wind. She suddenly needs a job and he hires her short-term as the flower whisperer he desperately needs based on some other coincidences. As co-workers and neighbors a romance flourishes, they invent all kinds of sexy pet names for each other while agreeing to indulge in fantasy sex for fun until Valentine’s virginal status is long forgotten under, over and around Milo. While those crazy kids try to hide their libido from his employees, she focuses on repairing her ruined career (a mistake involving the sex toy advice column). So there’s an expiration date staring down all that sexing, while her big secret side hustle hangs between them. The emphasis on temporary turns into another one of those “we’re perfect for each other, but the timing is bad, my dog ate my homework, we can only be friends, I’ve been burned before and am not ready for love, or the moon is in retrograde”, etc., etc., etc. Anything to keep them from admitting the truth of their relationship and feelings, which is just plain crazy.
They were cute together, but acted immature, especially her. The whole sneaking around bit and her decisions bordered on silly. The sexing, while playful and steamy, started to feel like an experiment of Valentine trying everything she's never done before with or without a partner, instead of real wooing like, you know, creating a connection. Going into this book, I was thrown off by the ending line of the prequel, (which is about them literally running into each other again in another missed opportunity as he rushes elsewhere): Milo thinks to himself … “But when I spot a glass slipper on the sidewalk, I concoct a plan.” Plan? Maybe brainstorming a way to find and pursue Valentine. That’s the cliffy sentence that doesn’t carry over into the book. What glass slipper? Either I’m crazy or the author didn’t remember what she previously wrote because there is no glass slipper, no Cinderella reference to the romance, and that line is never mentioned again in THIS book. As though it never happened.
I liked it and then I didn't love it. I didn’t love it like I loved the prequel, and I’ve read some pretty salacious and romantic Beta romances. Those guys are swoony too. But so much was predictable though about the couple, the random complications, the love story, their nicknames, immaturity, and Beta love with a sexed up virg was more miss-than-hit. Not the romance I was expecting from the adorable prequel, but this author always surprises me with her next book.
"Sex and sandwiches and love"
Here I am surfing the fence on this one. The prequel was divine. The chapter titles were perfecto. The characters ... well, only a few days after being swept off my feet by the charming banter and meet cute-over-cake in the prequel novella Mister Sexy Pants … I couldn’t remember a single thing about this book! Bad sign. It had a definite quirk appeal, what with “cake babe” and friendly neighborhood virgin Veronica (26) aka a children’s book editor moonlighting as a virgin columnist writing about sex toys -- I mean how non sequitur is that! -- and hipster guy Milo (28) whom she mistook as a cake shop employee aka Mr. Sexy Pants because of his cute tush was busy dodging and terrified of a man-eating ex who wants to steal his beloved dog. He actually runs a flower shop and was hunky in a Beta-Alpha kind of way, and not just because he wore skinny, checkered pants, and such. Admittedly, he loves clothes, so sue him.
Can you say campy? They were a very unconventional pair of lovers with plenty of humor, flirty banter, a love of vocabulary, and sexy-sexy times, especially after the fates finally fling them back together again when the prequel scattered them both separately to the wind. She suddenly needs a job and he hires her short-term as the flower whisperer he desperately needs based on some other coincidences. As co-workers and neighbors a romance flourishes, they invent all kinds of sexy pet names for each other while agreeing to indulge in fantasy sex for fun until Valentine’s virginal status is long forgotten under, over and around Milo. While those crazy kids try to hide their libido from his employees, she focuses on repairing her ruined career (a mistake involving the sex toy advice column). So there’s an expiration date staring down all that sexing, while her big secret side hustle hangs between them. The emphasis on temporary turns into another one of those “we’re perfect for each other, but the timing is bad, my dog ate my homework, we can only be friends, I’ve been burned before and am not ready for love, or the moon is in retrograde”, etc., etc., etc. Anything to keep them from admitting the truth of their relationship and feelings, which is just plain crazy.
They were cute together, but acted immature, especially her. The whole sneaking around bit and her decisions bordered on silly. The sexing, while playful and steamy, started to feel like an experiment of Valentine trying everything she's never done before with or without a partner, instead of real wooing like, you know, creating a connection. Going into this book, I was thrown off by the ending line of the prequel, (which is about them literally running into each other again in another missed opportunity as he rushes elsewhere): Milo thinks to himself … “But when I spot a glass slipper on the sidewalk, I concoct a plan.” Plan? Maybe brainstorming a way to find and pursue Valentine. That’s the cliffy sentence that doesn’t carry over into the book. What glass slipper? Either I’m crazy or the author didn’t remember what she previously wrote because there is no glass slipper, no Cinderella reference to the romance, and that line is never mentioned again in THIS book. As though it never happened.
I liked it and then I didn't love it. I didn’t love it like I loved the prequel, and I’ve read some pretty salacious and romantic Beta romances. Those guys are swoony too. But so much was predictable though about the couple, the random complications, the love story, their nicknames, immaturity, and Beta love with a sexed up virg was more miss-than-hit. Not the romance I was expecting from the adorable prequel, but this author always surprises me with her next book.
August 9, 2022
The Virgin Next Door by Lauren Blakely was a sweet and seductive virgin romance that made my heart ZING! I'm a sucker for virgin romances, and this one put a new spin on this trope. Veronica was so confident in her virgin skin, and with Mr. Sexy Pants. I loved it! Plus, the chemistry between her and Milo was a little bit secret, a little bit forbidden, and a whole lot of fun!
Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton narrate this audiobook, and they were such a decadent audio delight bringing Lauren's words to life. Vanessa Edwin's melodic voice was the perfect pick for glitter gal, Veronica. She was amazing conveying Veronica's vibrant, self-assured, and sexy vixen persona which made me want to give her a high five! Teddy Hamilton's performance of Milo aka Mr. Sexy Pants was spot on! Teddy's lovable voice was swoon-worthy showcasing Milo's adoration for his dog Trudy, passion for bikes, and dedication to Veronica and her lists.
Overall, I LOVED this audiobook. If you are a fan of a virgin romance with a twist, a hot hunky owner of Bikes and Blooms, a sassy secret sex columnist for The Virgin Club, hilarious panty flashing meet-cutes, dogs and cats, paninis, paper airplanes, flirty text messages, unfortunate mishaps that lead to new opportunities, steamy hot first times, making spicy fantasies come true, and a HEA that will make you believe in sex, sandwiches, and love, then you will adore Milo and Veronica's story! I always look forward to more from Lauren Blakely!
Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton narrate this audiobook, and they were such a decadent audio delight bringing Lauren's words to life. Vanessa Edwin's melodic voice was the perfect pick for glitter gal, Veronica. She was amazing conveying Veronica's vibrant, self-assured, and sexy vixen persona which made me want to give her a high five! Teddy Hamilton's performance of Milo aka Mr. Sexy Pants was spot on! Teddy's lovable voice was swoon-worthy showcasing Milo's adoration for his dog Trudy, passion for bikes, and dedication to Veronica and her lists.
Overall, I LOVED this audiobook. If you are a fan of a virgin romance with a twist, a hot hunky owner of Bikes and Blooms, a sassy secret sex columnist for The Virgin Club, hilarious panty flashing meet-cutes, dogs and cats, paninis, paper airplanes, flirty text messages, unfortunate mishaps that lead to new opportunities, steamy hot first times, making spicy fantasies come true, and a HEA that will make you believe in sex, sandwiches, and love, then you will adore Milo and Veronica's story! I always look forward to more from Lauren Blakely!
April 19, 2023
Pues no me ha gustado... Para empezar la portada no tiene sentido... que ella sea virgen o incluso las escasas escenas de sexo (sobre las que se pasa por encima) no son importantes en la trama; quizá lo que más relevancia acaba teniendo es la situación laboral de ella y tampoco me ha convencido como se ha resuelto. Tampoco ha ayudado que seguramente se me escaparan muchas segundas interpretaciones o juegos de palabras, ni tantas casualidades al principio, ni los personajes que aparecen por arte de magia sin más (amigos de ambos).
La autora tiene otra historia sobre una chica virgen y su vecino que si me gustó y mucho.
La autora tiene otra historia sobre una chica virgen y su vecino que si me gustó y mucho.
January 27, 2023
A fun and steamy romance set in NYC between two strangers turned co-workers, one of whom is the subject of an online fantasy blog. I loved the banter, the original plot, the cute rescue pets and the fact that the MCs work together at a flower shop/bike shop. Great on audio and definitely one I'd recommend!
July 31, 2022
The Virgin Next Door is the first book in Lauren Blakely’s all new series, The Dating Games. I have read all of Lauren’s books and she is absolutely my favorite author so I always get super excited when she starts a new series! New characters mixed with some previous one of course, that’s the Lauren way!
Veronica is a twenty-six year old children’s book editor by day and a sex columnist by night. She is your friendly neighborhood virgin who knows exactly what she wants in and out of bed. She admits she is picky but she wants her first time to be with someone who is worthy of her V-card. Someone who can give her exactly what she wants and when she meets a stranger in a cake shop, she feels all the tingles and sees all the check marks. Too bad she doesn't even know his name but to her and her fans, he is Mister Sexy Pants. The man she wants to punch her V-card and her fans know it but will her new boss… The man himself.
Milo is on a dating hiatus after the hot mess of a breakup with his ex. He needs to focus on his business, Bikes and Blooms and the only girl in his life needs to be Trudy, his pup. It’s been easy until she walks into the cake shop where he is helping a friend out. She is beautiful but more importantly she is smart, witty and makes him laugh. He didn’t think he would see her again but it turns out they are not only building neighbors but his new employee. Off-limits times two. She intrigues him like nobody ever has. He wants her something bad. On the desk. On the balcony. Anywhere he can have her. He wants to kiss, touch, please her in every way she desires but does she want the same thing?
Hell yes.
Holy sexiness, Batman!! Not gonna lie, I have a lady crush on Veronica. Her style is amazing, her brain is powerful and sexy, her love of animals is on point. And of course, I love Milo, he is delicious in every way. He is so sweet with a filthy side and loves his animals too. Together, they are not only hot but just so much fun! Very supportive and passionate. I loved their connection in and out of the bedroom. It was the perfect mix of sweetness, sexiness, and swoon. I am so excited about the rest of the series!! Let the dating games continue…
P.S. I ♥️ StudMuffin, Hot Stuff, and Trudy!
Quotes:
Angel, stand down. Devil, you’re up.
As I kiss Milo, I eagerly take mental notes, learning what he likes right as he learns more about what I crave.
“I’ll spank you for that.”
“That’s on my list somewhere. Among other things,” she says, then leans in the close to whisper in my ear.
Veronica is a twenty-six year old children’s book editor by day and a sex columnist by night. She is your friendly neighborhood virgin who knows exactly what she wants in and out of bed. She admits she is picky but she wants her first time to be with someone who is worthy of her V-card. Someone who can give her exactly what she wants and when she meets a stranger in a cake shop, she feels all the tingles and sees all the check marks. Too bad she doesn't even know his name but to her and her fans, he is Mister Sexy Pants. The man she wants to punch her V-card and her fans know it but will her new boss… The man himself.
Milo is on a dating hiatus after the hot mess of a breakup with his ex. He needs to focus on his business, Bikes and Blooms and the only girl in his life needs to be Trudy, his pup. It’s been easy until she walks into the cake shop where he is helping a friend out. She is beautiful but more importantly she is smart, witty and makes him laugh. He didn’t think he would see her again but it turns out they are not only building neighbors but his new employee. Off-limits times two. She intrigues him like nobody ever has. He wants her something bad. On the desk. On the balcony. Anywhere he can have her. He wants to kiss, touch, please her in every way she desires but does she want the same thing?
Hell yes.
Holy sexiness, Batman!! Not gonna lie, I have a lady crush on Veronica. Her style is amazing, her brain is powerful and sexy, her love of animals is on point. And of course, I love Milo, he is delicious in every way. He is so sweet with a filthy side and loves his animals too. Together, they are not only hot but just so much fun! Very supportive and passionate. I loved their connection in and out of the bedroom. It was the perfect mix of sweetness, sexiness, and swoon. I am so excited about the rest of the series!! Let the dating games continue…
P.S. I ♥️ StudMuffin, Hot Stuff, and Trudy!
Quotes:
Angel, stand down. Devil, you’re up.
As I kiss Milo, I eagerly take mental notes, learning what he likes right as he learns more about what I crave.
“I’ll spank you for that.”
“That’s on my list somewhere. Among other things,” she says, then leans in the close to whisper in my ear.
August 6, 2022
What a fun read that was! You could say “this is a feel-good book extraordinaire!” Things I adore about a LB novel are her upbeat characters, they always make me feel happy. They may have issues going on and their life can be in a bit of a mess but they pick themselves up and do better. Their friend group are supportive and loyal and have a great time together. It’s a world I’d visit in a heart beat.
If you love strong and intelligent heroines, you will love Veronica Valentine. She’s a children's book editor by day and a columnist as her side gig - writing on what she knows best, chronicles of being a virgin. She may be twenty six, but she knows her own body, loves it too! And she knows what she wants in a partner to make her a virgin alumni. I appreciate that she’s wanted to know herself before sharing it, and she’s been picky on who that person should be. So when she meets Milo Dawson, the puzzle pieces are fitting nicely for them. Veronica has a very specific list she’d like to try with Milo, who’s happy to oblige.
I’m a gal that doesn’t need over dramatic romances, I prefer something that is more authentic and realistic with some good laughs. The things that cause this couple their obstacles aren’t over the top, nor dragged out. They both have the cutest dogs who enjoy being around their owners at all times. This story made me smile so many times with Veronica and Milo’s big, wild, messy, happy, glittery love.
If you love strong and intelligent heroines, you will love Veronica Valentine. She’s a children's book editor by day and a columnist as her side gig - writing on what she knows best, chronicles of being a virgin. She may be twenty six, but she knows her own body, loves it too! And she knows what she wants in a partner to make her a virgin alumni. I appreciate that she’s wanted to know herself before sharing it, and she’s been picky on who that person should be. So when she meets Milo Dawson, the puzzle pieces are fitting nicely for them. Veronica has a very specific list she’d like to try with Milo, who’s happy to oblige.
I’m a gal that doesn’t need over dramatic romances, I prefer something that is more authentic and realistic with some good laughs. The things that cause this couple their obstacles aren’t over the top, nor dragged out. They both have the cutest dogs who enjoy being around their owners at all times. This story made me smile so many times with Veronica and Milo’s big, wild, messy, happy, glittery love.
August 4, 2022
Absolutely delightful!
Seriously I couldn’t get enough of this one. I know my favourite character in this book is Veronica by far. I loved her attitude. 100% loved that she owns being a virgin she just isn’t ready to give someone that gift yet. Guess what THAT IS OK! I think that is what I liked the most; usually I am not a fan of adult virgin romances. But this was so far from any of those.
Veronica is so boldly herself, even when a mishap happens and she loses a lot she picks herself right back up and just figures it out. I want to high five her.
Milo took me a little more to come around to, I get that he has been bitten and is a little shy. But I will say he doesn’t second guess jumping all in. Is he cautious yes but again that is understandable.
What a breath of fresh air this book was from what I have been listening to.
Teddy & Vanessa go together like peanut butter and jam, their voices just complement each other I loved it.
I loved the POV of the cat and the bonus epilogue ;) it’s a treat.
Seriously I highly recommend.
Seriously I couldn’t get enough of this one. I know my favourite character in this book is Veronica by far. I loved her attitude. 100% loved that she owns being a virgin she just isn’t ready to give someone that gift yet. Guess what THAT IS OK! I think that is what I liked the most; usually I am not a fan of adult virgin romances. But this was so far from any of those.
Veronica is so boldly herself, even when a mishap happens and she loses a lot she picks herself right back up and just figures it out. I want to high five her.
Milo took me a little more to come around to, I get that he has been bitten and is a little shy. But I will say he doesn’t second guess jumping all in. Is he cautious yes but again that is understandable.
What a breath of fresh air this book was from what I have been listening to.
Teddy & Vanessa go together like peanut butter and jam, their voices just complement each other I loved it.
I loved the POV of the cat and the bonus epilogue ;) it’s a treat.
Seriously I highly recommend.
December 7, 2022
This was sent to me in a monthly subscription box. Tried to enjoy but besides all the typos nothing felt real. Just not enjoyable
August 3, 2022
This wonderful read gets this new series off to a delightful start. This romance is lighthearted and fun. You can expect sparling humor, sultry heat, a touch of zaniness, plenty of sinfully sweet swoon and glitter. Milo and Veronica were totally adorable together and boy did the give me a major dose of The Feels!! This is my frank, freely posted review.
August 14, 2022
This was cute. The usual Lauren Blakely. I find I'm not as eager to purchase her books as I was in the past. However, I still find them fun and good as palate cleansers between books. I like the fun and easiness about her writing style.
I enjoyed Veronica and Milo together and thought they had a great "meet cute". This was a believable romance story and had some sweet elements to it. Again, if you're looking for a light and fun summer read this would probably fit the bill.
I enjoyed Veronica and Milo together and thought they had a great "meet cute". This was a believable romance story and had some sweet elements to it. Again, if you're looking for a light and fun summer read this would probably fit the bill.
November 14, 2023
such a fun audiobook!!
she still has her v-card and after her 9 to 5, spends her nights writing an anonymous column about her fantasies and they all center around a certain neighbor of hers. very invisible string when she realizes who her neighbor and what he knows about her column. super fun listen.
she still has her v-card and after her 9 to 5, spends her nights writing an anonymous column about her fantasies and they all center around a certain neighbor of hers. very invisible string when she realizes who her neighbor and what he knows about her column. super fun listen.
November 17, 2022
DNF @ 18%
I get that the story is about a virgin but when her every thought is about it, it becomes old very quickly. Which is very disappointing because the meet cute was promising but I can't go through 300 pages of Mr sexy pants and her ramblings about being a virgin.
I get that the story is about a virgin but when her every thought is about it, it becomes old very quickly. Which is very disappointing because the meet cute was promising but I can't go through 300 pages of Mr sexy pants and her ramblings about being a virgin.
August 13, 2022
DNF not sure if it was me or the book. I think it was the book. I was just bored. I didn’t care about the outcome. Maybe it was to light and fluffy, I’m just not sure.
August 5, 2022
5 Star review The Virgin Next Door (The Dating Games #1) by Lauren Blakely
This is the first book in The Dating Games series and was an entertaining and engaging as the story. When I read the blurb for The Virgin Next Door I knew that this was going to be a fun, entertaining story and that’s exactly what I got.
When Veronica Valentine makes the mistake of sending a naughty email to her entire company she knows she is going to be looking for a new job. She has fantasies about her hot and gorgeous neighbour Milo Dawson and when she lets those thoughts out into her work universe, chaos reigns down.
I loved both Veronica and Milo and it was entertaining to watch their relationship develop. Milo has been badly burnt in the past so the last thing he wants is to be attracted to Veronica, his newest employee. They were engaging and easy to relate too along with a cast of secondary characters who were also fun and entertaining.
As with previous books by Lauren Blakely there was plenty of heat and a great deal of humour. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
This is the first book in The Dating Games series and was an entertaining and engaging as the story. When I read the blurb for The Virgin Next Door I knew that this was going to be a fun, entertaining story and that’s exactly what I got.
When Veronica Valentine makes the mistake of sending a naughty email to her entire company she knows she is going to be looking for a new job. She has fantasies about her hot and gorgeous neighbour Milo Dawson and when she lets those thoughts out into her work universe, chaos reigns down.
I loved both Veronica and Milo and it was entertaining to watch their relationship develop. Milo has been badly burnt in the past so the last thing he wants is to be attracted to Veronica, his newest employee. They were engaging and easy to relate too along with a cast of secondary characters who were also fun and entertaining.
As with previous books by Lauren Blakely there was plenty of heat and a great deal of humour. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
August 14, 2022
actual rating: 3.5 stars
after a spicy email was accidentally sent out to her workplace, veronica could no longer work as a children’s book editor. stuck in a bind, she started working at a store which sells bikes and flowers, and her boss is the man she’s attracted too. did i mention that she flashed him her panties a few days ago? so yes, things happened and soon, they are falling in love and in bed. in the meantime, as the friendly neighbourhood virgin, veronica is writing articles for a column that focuses on all things sexy. hence, the spicy email mentioned before.
i liked veronica and milo. their romance was pretty straightforward. i didn’t think their final conflict was much of an issue considering they were already flirty and fucking. while milo was affected by his previous relationship, the speed at which he fell for veronica just showed me that he didn't care as much.
after a spicy email was accidentally sent out to her workplace, veronica could no longer work as a children’s book editor. stuck in a bind, she started working at a store which sells bikes and flowers, and her boss is the man she’s attracted too. did i mention that she flashed him her panties a few days ago? so yes, things happened and soon, they are falling in love and in bed. in the meantime, as the friendly neighbourhood virgin, veronica is writing articles for a column that focuses on all things sexy. hence, the spicy email mentioned before.
i liked veronica and milo. their romance was pretty straightforward. i didn’t think their final conflict was much of an issue considering they were already flirty and fucking. while milo was affected by his previous relationship, the speed at which he fell for veronica just showed me that he didn't care as much.
August 12, 2022
The Virgin Next Door by Lauren Blakely is the first book in The Dating Games series with loads of fun inner-monologues, shameless flirting and lots and lots of a smexy times. Milo and Veronica’s romantic tale starts off with a chance encounter and funny nickname giving, and turns into a full blown love story rivaling Romeo and Juliet minus the darker themes and unhappy ending. What you’ll get out of this romantic comedy is;
❤️virgin heroine with a delightfully smart mouth
❤️endearing hero with a slightly broken heart
❤️lots of spicy scenes
❤️boss-employee relationship
❤️two lovable pups and one not-so-evil cat
❤️happily ever after
The Virgin Next Door is a quick read that will give you lots of smiles and positive vibes. Definitely a one-click!
❤️virgin heroine with a delightfully smart mouth
❤️endearing hero with a slightly broken heart
❤️lots of spicy scenes
❤️boss-employee relationship
❤️two lovable pups and one not-so-evil cat
❤️happily ever after
The Virgin Next Door is a quick read that will give you lots of smiles and positive vibes. Definitely a one-click!
August 18, 2024
Lauren Blakely is one of my go-to for light-hearted, spicy rom-coms. This one didn't have the true third-act breakup, but it was there a little.
Milo and Veronica met in an unexpected "crash" on the street. There are pups, glitter, ex-loves (and she has MY name!!), and a cute kitty. There is plenty of spice and a good amount of LOL humor. Now I'm torn on reading the next book in this series OR re-reading 'My S0-Called Love Life' where Hazel (Veronica's sister) hooks up with Axel Huxley (Milo's friend). I've read it before, but since they were both mentioned here, I'm not sure.
And a bonus epilogue from Hot Stuff, the cat! Yes, please.
4.5
Milo and Veronica met in an unexpected "crash" on the street. There are pups, glitter, ex-loves (and she has MY name!!), and a cute kitty. There is plenty of spice and a good amount of LOL humor. Now I'm torn on reading the next book in this series OR re-reading 'My S0-Called Love Life' where Hazel (Veronica's sister) hooks up with Axel Huxley (Milo's friend). I've read it before, but since they were both mentioned here, I'm not sure.
And a bonus epilogue from Hot Stuff, the cat! Yes, please.
4.5
April 29, 2023
This was a fun and quick romcom read and I really enjoyed it. From the beginning, the tone of the story was light, and the characters had me laughing. Veronica was super relatable, and she was really witty and fun. Her relationship with her pets was so cute, and I also liked her column.
Milo was a great character. He let his issues with his ex get in the way, but it made him realistic. At times he did feel a little too good to be true, but I still liked his relationship with Veronica.
The pacing was good, and I read this one in a couple of sittings. The writing style was easy to follow, the POVs were distinct, and I laughed a lot while reading.
Milo was a great character. He let his issues with his ex get in the way, but it made him realistic. At times he did feel a little too good to be true, but I still liked his relationship with Veronica.
The pacing was good, and I read this one in a couple of sittings. The writing style was easy to follow, the POVs were distinct, and I laughed a lot while reading.
August 15, 2022
You know you can get a witty, full of humour, feel-good story with Lauren Blakely. It took me a little bit to get into when I first start reading their story, but once the story picked up I couldn't put the book down. Both Veronica and Milo are amazing characters. They're so fun and entertaining to read. They have their own quirks. I know these two are going to sizzle up the pages since the moment they first met. I loved their flirty banter and chemistry. Overall, this is a fun, flirty story.
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