Love Next Door

Lakeside, Book 1

By: Helena Hunting

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Andi Arndt

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting comes an evocative small-town romance about family loyalty, finding oneself, and falling in love.

When Dillion Stitch left her hometown, she had no intention of going back. But when her brother gets into trouble, Dillion reluctantly agrees to return home to take her place at the family business.

Being back in Pearl Lake after all these years feels familiar but also brings a few surprises. She’s quick to notice that someone new has shown up at the cottage next door. Dillion gets more than an eyeful when she goes to check out the newcomer and meets Donovan “Van” Firestone - her beloved neighbor’s grandson - in all his unclothed glory.

Having gotten off to a rocky start, it’s not long before they begin bickering with each other all over town. All that back-and-forth inevitably sparks an undeniable attraction. But Dillion’s family has issues, Van’s family resents him, and neither Dillion nor Van feels truly at ease in the small town. For these Pearl Lake exiles, home isn’t just where the heart is - it’s where things get complicated.

©2021 by Helena Hunting. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

small town love

Helena Hunting has quickly become an author who makes beautiful stories that I truly enjoy. Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton always do exceptional jobs at bringing stories to life, and they surely did it again with this one. If you’re needing a sweet story full of chemistry, the intricacies of how small towns rally together, and family bonds … then this story is for you.

Such a good book

This had a few twists but was a sweet and slow-burn romance. I really liked it.

More than meets the eye

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. What started as a—seemingly typical—small town, enemies to lovers book turned into so much more.

Van and Dillion were so much fun. From their initial banter, to their loving interactions, I was their biggest cheerleader. Even when things were hard, I had no doubt they would pull through. Especially with Quirky Grammy Bee looking over them.

Billy. I loved him.
Despite his challenging behaviour, his attitude and recklessness, I loved him. I knew there was more going on with him than what we were initially gifted with. I wasn't far of base with my suspicions either.

I hope we get more of this world. I really enjoyed the secondary characters. Teagan, Tawny, Aaron and Allie are all on my shortlist for their own HEA's.

Andi and Teddy did a fab job of narrating this story.

Love this performance!!!

Great story told by great voices!!! A Good read i couldn’t stop listening to. Great

Love Next Door

I picked this book up because I saw Next Door, I am a sucker for those kinds of romances.

Dillion is wicked sweet, she comes back for her family and doesn’t just push all her knowledge on them right away. I loved that I loved that she was willing to jump in and do what needed to be done and help all at the same time.

Her brother isn’t haven’t the best time and I will be honest I wasn’t a fan of his until he jumps in the lake. From there we really see his struggles and that he needs help. I liked that Dillion and the family get him the help he needs.

Van oh Van my heart hurt for him. Someone is out to get him and we don’t learn who for a while but he really does put his head down and keep on trucking. I loved that I loved that he wasn’t looking for Dillion but he finds her none the less. Their sparks are epic and I just fell in love with their love.

LOVED Teddy’s narration Andi is good I haven’t listened to her in a while so I quiet enjoyed it.

loved it

I really enjoyed reading this author.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the near future.

Van and Dillion get to start over right

After life somewhat implodes for our Dillion (of many names), she moves back home and finds that Pearl Lake was not the place she once thought it to be. She also learns that life as a teen seemed more than what it was in the grand scheme of life.

Finally taking steps to move forward, Donovan/Van begins the process. He just never expected that his life would implode while he was trying to deal with the grief of losing his beloved grandmother. He finds more than his memories, friendship, a snake, and a fresh start with that elusive memory from years ago.

Van and Dillion get a chance to start fresh with clear eyes and almost even footing.

Teddy and Andi bring it all to life with all that you would expect for seasoned audio experts. You get the feels and the climax of it all. You can experience each character through their portrayal of them via voice.

Van and Dillon

A sweetly adorable, charming and romantic story. Van and Dillion didn’t start out on the right foot but they find common ground and sparks fly. Their chemistry is off the charts but what was absolutely perfect was their connection and the beautiful friendship they developed. I enjoyed this book. Narration was fantastic!

Best duo narrators!

My faves Andi and Teddy did excellently, as expected! I enjoyed the story too: light and romantic.

Loved this small-town enemies-to-lovers romance

Love Next Door is a different kind of Helena Hunting novel. It's wonderful, with great character and plot development. It's a slower paced romance, with less raucous humor than her Pucked series, but it is still a genuine Helena Hunting romance that leaves you satisfied.

A large part of the book deals with Dillon coming to grips with her return to her hometown and her family business after 'escaping' that life at the first opportunity. She never expected to come back to town, let alone fall in love there. Both Dillon and Van have complicated pasts that they have to deal with separately as well as together to move forward.

This is a bit of a redemption tale for Dillon, married with an enemies-to-lovers story, but Dillon and Van weren't really enemies for long. Plus we have all of the hallmarks of a great small-town romance - family connections, complicated relationships with other people in town, trying to move past prior perceptions.

I love the various sides of Helena Hunting. I thoroughly enjoy all of her books, whether they are angsty, outrageously hysterical, instalove, slow burns, etc. One constant in each and every one of her books is that the writing is top-notch.

Narration by Teddy Hamilton and Andi Arndt was top-notch. They are two of the best in the industry for a reason. Andi perfectly captures Dillion's hesitancy and wariness, and Teddy is both playful and earnest as Van.