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The Lakeview #1
Comfort Zoned
Al has always struggled to feel comfortable in her own skin. When her best friend, and roommate, announces that she’s moving out, Al’s initial reaction is panic. For the first time, she’s on her own, and she must figure out what she wants for herself. When she meets Dean, she’s immediately drawn to him. He’s older, successful, and seems way out of her league. But still, there is an undeniable connection between them. Can Al take control of her life and get the courage to go after what she wants?
Dean appears to have his life together. He’s the owner of a successful restaurant in Chicago and could date any woman he wants. Although charming, he’s a cynic at heart and detests the idea of a committed relationship. But when he meets Al, he just can’t seem to stay away from her. Can he face his past demons and fight for something real for the first time in his life?
Dean appears to have his life together. He’s the owner of a successful restaurant in Chicago and could date any woman he wants. Although charming, he’s a cynic at heart and detests the idea of a committed relationship. But when he meets Al, he just can’t seem to stay away from her. Can he face his past demons and fight for something real for the first time in his life?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2023
About the author
Allison Speka
12 books693 followersAllison Speka's stories are light on the spice and heavy on the banter. She delivers realistic characters that you'll instantly root for, taking you on a roller coaster of emotions. With moments of passion, humor, and a fast-paced plot, her books will keep you hooked from start to finish, making it impossible to put them down.
Follow her journey.
TikTok and Instagram: @AllisonSpeka
Visit her website AllisonSpeka.com for free bonus content and news on upcoming releases.
Signed Copies: https://www.allisonspeka.com/shop
Follow her journey.
TikTok and Instagram: @AllisonSpeka
Visit her website AllisonSpeka.com for free bonus content and news on upcoming releases.
Signed Copies: https://www.allisonspeka.com/shop
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
January 25, 2023
I couldn’t put it down
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really loved this book, I was excited to finish each page and find out what was going to happen next. An easy read with relatable, and likeable characters. The character development wasn’t overdone and I could picture the dynamics well. The growth of Al was great and felt empowering, across the board of her life. When you meet the one, it takes you by surprise and this was shown well.
I hope that there may be more books connected to this one in the future, and I’d love to read more about some of the minor characters in this
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really loved this book, I was excited to finish each page and find out what was going to happen next. An easy read with relatable, and likeable characters. The character development wasn’t overdone and I could picture the dynamics well. The growth of Al was great and felt empowering, across the board of her life. When you meet the one, it takes you by surprise and this was shown well.
I hope that there may be more books connected to this one in the future, and I’d love to read more about some of the minor characters in this
September 29, 2024
3.5
Cutie quick read!
Cutie quick read!
January 12, 2026
why did i even read this. The mmc is such a red flag, it got to the point where i was hoping they dont end up together in the end.
June 26, 2026
eek he was a red flag
August 29, 2024
This book was quick and easy to read, I thought it was a cute romance but it seemed like it was missing something. Not too much depth with the flow of the storyline & the chemistry of the 2 main characters. Found myself also not loving the characters too much, they came off very immature? Either way glad I got to try out the book.
January 21, 2023
Nice quick read romance novel.
February 29, 2024
Cutie little perfect length romance
December 15, 2025
read on a whim in one sitting because it's just what i needed that time lmao
July 2, 2026
I was into it... until I wasn't. he's a lukewarm, like, the whole fucking book he's like "I can't be serious cause I have daddy issues, but im like thirty" GROW THE F*CK UP. You're old, this is not a teen story, this are adults... so him being so immature was sending me. Also she's "not like everyone else" so hard. It's giving I got my starbucks, my converse and my book, if you know what I mean.
It wasn't the worst, the friends are fine and cute and the overall book it's not that insufferable, but the plot line?! just bad.
It wasn't the worst, the friends are fine and cute and the overall book it's not that insufferable, but the plot line?! just bad.
January 16, 2023
Very cute story. I loved the development of Al throughout the book & think the alternating perspectives format worked really well.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 22, 2023
A fun read! I loved the main character and how she grows more confident throughout the book - super relatable.
April 11, 2023
A fun romance read
Appearances can be deceiving, and none of us knows what another person is going through unless they open up to us. This story follows two characters from alternating points of view, and shows us how much they hide from the world around them.
For a first-time writer, this isn't a bad read. However, it does suffer from lots of mistakes and hugely passive writing. Over and over, the author uses 'saddled up' instead of 'sidled up', which pulled me out of the read time and again. As did the over use of filler words, split infinitives, overly descriptive dialogue tags, which told what had been shown, and would have benefited from using some beats instead of tags all the time. Also, spelling errors litter what is otherwise a fun story. Added to all of this, word repetition abounds and could use input from a thesaurus to find alternatives.
Apart from needing a good edit and proofread, I found the storyline entertaining, amusing, and compelling. The writer has a strong voice, which is wonderful for a debut book. Each character shows a clear developmental arc, and a lovely sense of humour threads throughout the narrative. Below are a couple of lines which made me smile ...
'Tom was kind of like the big, loud, jerky older brother that I never wanted.'
And
'Now I was feeling a little chilly from her icy glare.' ... if not for the passive writing and filler words, this is a fun line, which shows some of the humour I mentioned.
I offer 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for rating purposes. With some polishing, this would be an absolute gem of a read, and I wish the author well with her future writing career. I can see Allison Speka going places as she grows and evolves.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
Appearances can be deceiving, and none of us knows what another person is going through unless they open up to us. This story follows two characters from alternating points of view, and shows us how much they hide from the world around them.
For a first-time writer, this isn't a bad read. However, it does suffer from lots of mistakes and hugely passive writing. Over and over, the author uses 'saddled up' instead of 'sidled up', which pulled me out of the read time and again. As did the over use of filler words, split infinitives, overly descriptive dialogue tags, which told what had been shown, and would have benefited from using some beats instead of tags all the time. Also, spelling errors litter what is otherwise a fun story. Added to all of this, word repetition abounds and could use input from a thesaurus to find alternatives.
Apart from needing a good edit and proofread, I found the storyline entertaining, amusing, and compelling. The writer has a strong voice, which is wonderful for a debut book. Each character shows a clear developmental arc, and a lovely sense of humour threads throughout the narrative. Below are a couple of lines which made me smile ...
'Tom was kind of like the big, loud, jerky older brother that I never wanted.'
And
'Now I was feeling a little chilly from her icy glare.' ... if not for the passive writing and filler words, this is a fun line, which shows some of the humour I mentioned.
I offer 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for rating purposes. With some polishing, this would be an absolute gem of a read, and I wish the author well with her future writing career. I can see Allison Speka going places as she grows and evolves.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
July 17, 2023
Comfort Zoned by @allisonspeka
This book is absolutely adorable. The male lead, Dean, is a successful restaurant owner with a traumatic upbringing who is reserved about love and determined to keep it that way.
Al is awkward and doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere, but she grabs Dean’s attention despite his efforts to ignore her.
When the two come together they spark a romance neither expected that is both funny and sweet.
This is a shorter read than most of the books I’ve dug into lately, and it has very little steam. There’s a lot of tension between the characters and burns pretty slow.
There’s a slew of sidekicks here, Al’s roommates are my favorite and if there’s a follow up with characters from the book, I hope it includes them!
Allison’s writing is soft and easy to read and holds a certain comfort. I was quickly lost in this story.
This is definitely a cute one to pick up if you’re looking for something lighter between other reads.
Minimal trigger warnings include death of parents, childhood abuse and promiscuity shaming among all genders. (But only from one character in one scene. He’s easy to pick out and skip over)
#newtomeauthor #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #tbrthis #lovebooks #lovedit
This book is absolutely adorable. The male lead, Dean, is a successful restaurant owner with a traumatic upbringing who is reserved about love and determined to keep it that way.
Al is awkward and doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere, but she grabs Dean’s attention despite his efforts to ignore her.
When the two come together they spark a romance neither expected that is both funny and sweet.
This is a shorter read than most of the books I’ve dug into lately, and it has very little steam. There’s a lot of tension between the characters and burns pretty slow.
There’s a slew of sidekicks here, Al’s roommates are my favorite and if there’s a follow up with characters from the book, I hope it includes them!
Allison’s writing is soft and easy to read and holds a certain comfort. I was quickly lost in this story.
This is definitely a cute one to pick up if you’re looking for something lighter between other reads.
Minimal trigger warnings include death of parents, childhood abuse and promiscuity shaming among all genders. (But only from one character in one scene. He’s easy to pick out and skip over)
#newtomeauthor #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #tbrthis #lovebooks #lovedit
February 2, 2025
4.5⭐️
This is a thought-provoking exploration of the human experience, particularly in how we navigate our comfort zones. The author delves into the psychological aspects of comfort and discomfort, encouraging readers to reflect on their own boundaries and the fears that hold them back.
Speka's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex ideas easy to understand. Through relatable anecdotes and insightful observations, she illustrates the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones to foster personal growth. The book is filled with practical advice and exercises that empower readers to take actionable steps toward embracing change.
This is a thought-provoking exploration of the human experience, particularly in how we navigate our comfort zones. The author delves into the psychological aspects of comfort and discomfort, encouraging readers to reflect on their own boundaries and the fears that hold them back.
Speka's writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex ideas easy to understand. Through relatable anecdotes and insightful observations, she illustrates the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones to foster personal growth. The book is filled with practical advice and exercises that empower readers to take actionable steps toward embracing change.
March 23, 2024
This was so cute!!! I love an easy little romance read and this dragged me right out of a slump I was in. I was giddy over Dean and Al!!! 🥹 Not a lot of spice so a great romance if you’re not into smut. I’m glad I found Allison on tiktok support indie authors!!!!!!!
November 23, 2023
Never in my life have I started and finished a book in one day. That’s how good this book was! I can’t wait to read her other ones :)
March 12, 2024
so very cozy. If you need a comfy short read, I will say, get this one.
June 23, 2024
Loved the character development. Al’s relationships with her new found family was my favorite part of the book!
October 16, 2024
3.5 rounded up - cute romance! Got this in my romance reveal box. Glad it opened me up to this author. I will definitely read more by her.
January 27, 2026
3.5 stars. Cute and quick!
March 15, 2024
This book is SOOOO cute!! I was laughing and squealing constantly while reading. It’s also a very fast read that’s hard to put down (I read it within 24 hours)
January 17, 2026
Merci David!
February 14, 2025
I love love loved this book as an easy sweet read!! It was so cute! Allison Speka has my heart and my money because I will never not buy a book that she writes!
April 10, 2026
I just hate the name Al
November 24, 2023
Quick and cute!
May 12, 2023
Loved this book it was a cute read and for once I felt relatable to the characters.
June 13, 2025
This was such a heartwarming romance that I couldn’t put down. Al and Dean had so much character growth in just 250 pages and their slow burn romance made me kick my little feet and giggle. I loved the addition of Al’s new roommates and how real life their interactions felt. Could really relate to so many of the characters too!
June 27, 2026
I'm always hesitant to be fully honest when it comes to a debut book. But I'm also a firm believer that you can't grow without feedback, and wrapping someone in bubble wrap so they never face criticism never actually helps them.
Unfortunately, this wasn't a well-written book. Setting aside the typos and grammar errors, the writing style itself felt naive and underdeveloped. The dialogue was unnatural and often unnecessary. I actually watched a great video recently about how dialogue is an author's most powerful tool - done well, it can single-handedly carry story progression, character development, world-building, and relationship dynamics. This book has none of that. The dialogue just exists, full of sentence structures no one would actually use in casual conversation.
It's a common mistake for new authors, though - writing how they imagine people talk rather than how people actually talk to each other.
What surprised me more is that the author mentions in the dedication that she's a reader herself, yet the book makes so many mistakes that romance readers tend to collectively despise. There's no real chemistry between the FMC and MMC - I genuinely found myself wondering if the "other woman" character introduced early on was supposed to be the real FMC, because the attraction in those scenes felt far more potent and main-couple-coded than anything between the actual leads. Dean's inner monologue and actions never reach that same intensity toward Al as they did toward Sarah, which felt completely bizarre.
The FMC is also a doormat who, after being borderline bullied by her best friend for years and then humiliated and dumped by the MMC, finally grows a spine... only to forgive both of them without a single ounce of grovelling.
And I'm sorry, but the smut felt clumsy on a writing level too. I could practically sense the author blushing and rushing through it as fast as possible, which only made it more awkward. Also, genuine request to the author: please look up what "core" actually refers to, because rubbing the core is not interchangeable with rubbing the clit.
Wishing the author the best of luck, and I'd strongly recommend writing classes going forward.
Unfortunately, this wasn't a well-written book. Setting aside the typos and grammar errors, the writing style itself felt naive and underdeveloped. The dialogue was unnatural and often unnecessary. I actually watched a great video recently about how dialogue is an author's most powerful tool - done well, it can single-handedly carry story progression, character development, world-building, and relationship dynamics. This book has none of that. The dialogue just exists, full of sentence structures no one would actually use in casual conversation.
It's a common mistake for new authors, though - writing how they imagine people talk rather than how people actually talk to each other.
What surprised me more is that the author mentions in the dedication that she's a reader herself, yet the book makes so many mistakes that romance readers tend to collectively despise. There's no real chemistry between the FMC and MMC - I genuinely found myself wondering if the "other woman" character introduced early on was supposed to be the real FMC, because the attraction in those scenes felt far more potent and main-couple-coded than anything between the actual leads. Dean's inner monologue and actions never reach that same intensity toward Al as they did toward Sarah, which felt completely bizarre.
The FMC is also a doormat who, after being borderline bullied by her best friend for years and then humiliated and dumped by the MMC, finally grows a spine... only to forgive both of them without a single ounce of grovelling.
And I'm sorry, but the smut felt clumsy on a writing level too. I could practically sense the author blushing and rushing through it as fast as possible, which only made it more awkward. Also, genuine request to the author: please look up what "core" actually refers to, because rubbing the core is not interchangeable with rubbing the clit.
Wishing the author the best of luck, and I'd strongly recommend writing classes going forward.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews