Member Reviews
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is the first book in the Patterson's Bluff series. It is currently scheduled for release on August 27 2019.
American Angie Donovan has never wanted much. When you grow up getting bounced from foster home to foster home, you learn not to become attached to anything, anyone, or any place. But it only took her two days to fall in love with Australia. With her visa clock ticking, surely she can fall in love with an Australian—and get hitched—in two months. Especially if he’s as hot and funny as her next-door neighbor. Jace Walters has never wanted much—except a bathroom he didn’t have to share. The last cookie all to himself. And solitude. But when you grow up in a family of seven, you can kiss those things goodbye. He’s finally living alone and working on his syndicated comic strip in privacy. Sure, his American neighbor is distractingly sexy and annoyingly nosy, but she’ll be gone in a few months. Except now she’s determined to find her perfect match by checking out every eligible male in the town, and her choices are even more distracting. So why does it suddenly feel like he—and his obnoxious tight-knit family, and even these two wayward dogs—could be exactly what she needs?
The Aussie Next Door takes two wonderful people, with their own trust issues, and makes them work for a happy ending. Angie has been through in her life and all she wants is love and to help others. She slaps on a happy face and acts like everything is perfect even when her world seems to be crumbling around her. Jace needs his routines, and is set in his ways. He does not believe that he can be loved and accepted as he is because of his past. They both are so worried about getting hurt or ruining things that they are the cause of the majority of their own issues. I enjoyed getting to know both the characters very much, and liked hpw Jace's autism was handled in a matter of fact and realistic way. I love that it is a slow burn, friends to more story- and that the small town and big family tropes are also used. All of the characters and the setting are so well described and real to me that I want to go visit and meet them all- if only the trip would not take so long. I loved Jace's family- and think that the introduction of the secondary characters was well done, leaving me wanting to know more about what might happen to them and how they might find their own happy ending, but not with cliff hangers or big questions to leave me in suspense. It was a good balance.
The Aussie Next Door is a sweet contemporary romance with a realistic look at how we are sometimes our own biggest barriers when it comes to making relationships work. It is sweet, tackles some real issues, and offers a believable HEA.
Reasonably cute with a hero who is on the Autism spectrum.
At times, I felt the miscommunication was cyclical and there were elements of Angie's past that still seem to remain a mystery. The secondary characters really shined, though, and while I'm not much of a small town romance fan, I was charmed by the seaside Patterson's Bluff.
Very curious about the next pairing in the series.
(Note: A more in depth review will not run on Smart Bitches Trashy Books upon discussion, given the level of the heroine's trauma, the lack of exploration on recovery, and the problematic usage of the term "high functioning" in relation to someone on the Autism spectrum.)
Angie Donovan has been trying to fit into a family her whole life. Jace has been trying to be himself his whole life.. Can two people fighting against themselves find what is staring them in the face?
This is more than just a friends to lovers romance, This book gives us a glimpse into the social struggles people face and how they close themselves up to the possibilities.
Jace is strong and strong willed and getting in his own way. Angie has a past and insecurities that she struggles with, which often blind her to what she really needs. Together they give you a romance that is heartfelt, warm and passionate.
A must read! This is the book that will give you all the feels of a romcom movie and so much more.. So grab some popcorn, tissue and a warm blanket, and get ready to fall in love with Jace and Angie!
The Aussie Next Door is my first read by Stefanie London and I look forward to reading the next in her Patterson’s Bluff series. A sweet, heartfelt and easy to read story, this book covers aspects of Autism at the higher end of the spectrum, mischievous pets and unlikely relationships that lead to romance and love. An entertaining story that I’m sure will be positively received by readers.
A very well written romance! Jace is very orderly and used to routine, as he is on the high functioning end of the Autism spectrum. His tenant Angie, and American escaping a messy past, is basically his opposite. Angie is on a mission to find love so she can stay in this gorgeous coastal town. As her mission becomes more serious and Jace is roped into it, they start to asses their feelings for each other. A fun read with some steamier scenes!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review! :)
A heartfelt read that will pull on your heartstrings and have you falling in love with Jase and Angie. Love their connection and their quirks.
I adored this story. It was such a cute premise. Who doesn't love an Aussie accent? Neighbors to romance trope is the perfect recipe for a meet cute. So I was pleasantly surprised that this book exceeded my expectations. What I thought was going to be a cute romantic story turned into something even better. This story goes beyond being about a woman that needs a visa to stay in Australia and her and annoyed and sexy Australian neighbor. This is actually the story of a woman that had a hard start in life and is trying to keep what she finally considers her home, and a man diagnosed with autism trying to protect himself from the world. Despite them having completely different perceptions of the world and being incompatible in paper even when yielding an attraction that they believe could never make them any good, they become friends. And slowly that turns into something else, all those pieces in the puzzle they never imagined could fit together, falling finally into place and becoming everything they didn't know they needed in the world to be complete. This book was a winner to me, and what I love most about NetGalley reviewing.
This book completely surprised me - in a good way!
It was slow-paced with a good plot and great characters.I adored the characters and loved the humour.
Looking forward to reading more from this author~
After her life imploded in the states, Angie thought a chance to define her life and herself without all of the baggage from foster care and instability was a great idea. She headed off to Australia and found a spot that suited in little Patterson’s Bluff. The only hitch in her plan is that annoying neighbor Jace – who values his privacy and ‘alone time’ more than she thinks he should. But the time down under for Angie is coming to an end – with her visa extension denied, she has two options. Leave the country when her time is up OR find herself a husband and stay.
Determined not to leave – she starts to find every available man around – and where better than her neighbor. It’s purely a marriage of convenience so they don’t really have to like each other, or live together – or even interact that much. But why does she want to? What is it about Jace that annoys and intrigues her in equal measure?
Cute, rather sweet and fairly predictable - it is the interactions between Jace and Angie, and their slow warming to one another despite the circumstances that made this story sing. London’s ability to write conversations and reactions is wonderful – and the tension between these two built neatly through each of those interactions. With Jace’s need to be alone, and Angie’s desire for a family that is welcoming and accepting and most of all loving – the two slowly accommodate each other’s needs and desires in ways that show slow isn’t always a bad thing. A clever change in romance reading from a contemporary story, and one that left me with a smile.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at <a href+” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-avB/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is an atypical love story. Angie Donovan has fled the US to Australia after a childhood of being shuttled between foster homes and become the center of an investigation into the foster care system that made her a national celebrity. In her efforts to hide she has come to a small coastal town where she has fit in, until her visa is about to expire and she must either find a permanent job or a husband.
Jace Walters is a simple man with simple needs and a strict routine, which because he is on the autism spectrum, suits him perfectly. He is also Angie's landlord. Now that he knows that Angie is looking for the perfect Australian love match, why does he suddenly find himself attracted to her? Could he be that perfect match?
I greatly enjoyed reading this novel, it was nice to see a man on the spectrum portrayed with feeling, consideration and compassion and to find a woman who could be understanding and supportive of him. Thank you to the author, Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my review.
Light, sweet, read filled with quirks and humor.
This felt like the perfect read to wind down summer with. I enjoyed the Walters family and since this looks to be the first in a series I'm hoping we get more of them in the next book!
Angie's time is ticking to fall in love and get married to ensure her stay in Australia. Jace just wants solitude and routine but when his mother volunteers him to dog sit and Angie confesses her plan to find a husband his routine is thrown out the window.
I enjoyed the friendship between Angie and Jace. The lust was pretty immediate but the romance was a sweet build up. I definitely plan to read more by Stefanie London
I’ve read some of Stefanie London’s past books so when I heard about this one, I knew I had to read it! As always, London created a set of wonderful characters that I can’t wait to keep reading about.
American Angie ran away to Patterson’s Bluff, a lovely small town in Australia where everyone knows each other’s name, but her time there is running short. She only has two months left in Australia and an unlikely plan to find someone to fall in love with and marry. The wrench in this plan is Jace, her next-door neighbour who seems like he could be the one except for the fact that he prefers solitude and has no plans of getting married. As Angie and Jace grow closer, it becomes clear that maybe their worlds need a bit of changing, and that it could be for the better.
I really liked reading about Angie and Jace, two very different people, who end up deeply caring about each other. Angie really cares for the community in Patterson’s Bluff despite being someone who immigrated there. Jace is part of a big family of 7 and is finally happy to have his independence. I really liked both of these characters and I really appreciated their backstories. I also want to comment on the fact that Jace is on the Autism spectrum. I can not speak to this representation so I will be on the look out for reviewers who can and link their reviews here.
Overall, The chemistry between Angie and Jace was clear and I think that The Aussie Next Door was definitely a solid romance.
This was a tremendous book. I wish the book had been longer to delve a little more into the secondary characters. Perhaps Stefanie will write more books and make this a start of a series. Would love to see Jace's brothers and sister get their own books. That said, their are so many things to love about this story. The main thing to me (as always) is the characters. I have to be able to feel the characters and to connect in some way. Stefanie never lets me down. Every character in the book was written so well. Jace was written very true, I have a son on the high end of the autism spectrum, so I know. The face on the refrigerator reference when Jace was a child - I did the same thing. The connection between Angie and Jace was beautifully written. Neither one seemed less than the other, The balance was well crafted.
The setting was described beautifully. It was interesting to hear some of the Aussie slang. And of course we got to interact with a deadly critter - yikes. And, who could not love all the puppy love.
Having two dogs myself, I loved the time spent with the pups. This book was just a joy to read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Press for this Arc.
Really good book!
Cartoonist Jace Walters likes his routine and when a friend of his mother asked him to watch her two dogs; so he knew things were going to change. Jace had been diagnosed on the autism spectrum when he was in kindergarten so he needed his routine to keep life in balance.
Angie Donovan wanted a permanent home where nobody knew her and she felt that Paterson’s Bluff was it until her request for an extension to her visa was denied. Angie decided that she would date and hopefully fall in love in the short time before she had to leave Australia and she knew that people would miss her volunteering to help others. Angie had Jace help her find prospective dates but he realized that Angie really got him the way he was and didn’t want him to change and he wanted Angie to only see him.
I liked The Aussie Next Door because Stefanie London shows a hero on the autism spectrum falling in love but not being able to show it without a little help from everybody.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Aussie Next Door is a small town, friends to lovers, sweet contemporary romance. I liked that this is a slow build romance. Jace and Angie went from him wanting nothing to do with her, to friends, to giving into their attraction. They both dealt with issues growing up and have very different personalities. Jace liked the quiet, low-maintenance life. He was serious, artsy, and a bit of a loner. Angie is for the most part, upbeat, talkative, and a go getter. What I really liked about this read is that the lead male is not your typical lead. He is a successful comic strip author/illustrator who is at the high functioning end of autism spectrum. The dogs provide a humorous touch and the meddling family members add to the charm of the story. A wonderful blend of serious undertones, heart, humor, and chemistry.
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel
ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via Netgalley
Run don’t walk to get this book. It is such an incredible story about real characters that have messy lives & try to find a way to make it work together. I love that Jace has autism & shines a light on this condition. Angie is a great poster person for taking a very unfortunate situation & trying to make a better way. The two of them together (& the dogs that you find out about when you read) are so entertaining. Highly recommend reading this book.
This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.
A less than perfect hero with a harden heart meets Angie, who seems like she is full of joy - all hearts and rainbows. It is underneath the surface that they hide their hurts and scars and will really have to work if they want to have a relationship.
Most the book is their struggle to overcome their past and they each are not sure if they can. Angie seems to self-sabotage a relationship and nothing changes when she falls for Jace.
Jace struggles with any change and only later realizes that he cannot place all the blame on his failed engagement on Julia as he had his own doubts.
The dogs are a cute addition and help Jace move from his complacent life! Nice HEA!!
I loved this book. An American, Angie, ends up in Australia. She wants to avoid her past and start anew. Unfortunately, her paperwork is not signed in time and she is about to lose her visa to stay in the country.
Jace is her landlord and wants nothing to do with anyone. He is an autistic writer that keeps to himself.
When Jace and Angie are thrown together by a dog, they finally start talking. Angie is determined to find herself a husband and Jace is determined to have peace and quiet.
As they grow together, the time to say goodbye gets closer. Can Jace and Angie make a life together, or should Angie return to the states?
Only time will tell.
Stefanie London did a great job developing the characters and their backgrounds. My only critique is that she constantly referred to Jace as autistic. Once it was said, it did not have to be repeated so many times.
However, despite that critique, I loved the book, enough to give it 5 stars.
I hope you enjoy it too.
The Aussie Next Door is such a fun cute read. I really enjoyed this one. Jace is amazing and he will just steal your heart. Angie is fun and I love how she brings out a different side of Jace. You will love the chemistry between them as they try to navigate from neighbors to more. This is such a fun warmhearted read that you won't be able to put down. Jace and Angie are just amazing and I can't wait for more from the Patterson's Bluff series.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well written, sweet romance: Jace is set in his ways, having been diagnosed on the high functioning end of the Autism scale. Angie is on a mission to find love in coastal Australia. When Jace is roped in to boarding a family friend's two adorable dobs, noise, doggie mischief and mayhem combine to bring Angie and Jace together. An entertaining read, with plenty of steamy scenes. I rate this one a 3.7 out of 5.