This was a sweet romance story that skirts the edges of several popular tropes, without really making them the defining part of the story (frenemies to lovers, frosty icy main character, holiday season, small town / big city). Both main characters (and several side characters) were relatable and quirky. While there were some scenes in which one or the other main characters frustrated me with their actions or inactions, this was overall a highly enjoyable read, and I’ll definitely be rereading it again when as we get deeper into the winter and holiday season.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.

Sweet and cute small-town holiday romance, perfectly scratching that Hallmark holiday movie itch. I loved watching Casey fit into Rocky Springs and start to find her confidence back, especially while running a sex shop that really focuses on all things positive for body and soul. Tara I had a little less of a feel for, especially as we got more into the conflict of the book and a lot of it hinged on issues that weren't really touched upon. We get a lot more of Casey's history and inclination to back down or flee at a conflict, but Tara's need for someone who would fight for their relationship, which a good foil, wasn't built up enough to make their conflict feel anything other than out of left field.

I do wish the conflict had also been kept in Rocky Springs; the whole drama that Pavia managed to stir up felt both overblown and disconnected from what was going on in the town. But the ending really brought the holiday vibes back, and I enjoyed the window competition and banter.

This was a super cute sapphic romcom set in an adorable small-town! There's funny banter, small businesses, lots of cupcakes, and also some serious moments. I love the queer representation as well as the therapy positivity. I love the important conversations had about sex positivity and safe spaces for teens. I also loved getting to see Tara and Casey navigate their own selves as they get to know each other and fall in love.
A perfect book for the holiday season!

LOVED this book, It was great. It was funny, heart warming, heart breaking and spicy.

I love how Casey went against the town to do her own thing and stood up for what she really wanted. It was great how the people’s perception changed over time as it’s realistic it’s hard when somethings never been done before and a town is stuck in its own ways, I also loved that karma hit eventually.

I loved how despite everything her ex had done, Casey still wanted the best for her recovery but also I wanted to strangle her for not just telling Tara the full situation.

I’d really enjoy a book on shawn and kit and how that went down

I so needed this
What a beautiful hallmark perfect story which has me feeling all the feels
I loved Casey she’s trying to best to make her little shop the best she can which I find iso sweet I feel like I need to try one of Tara’s cupcakes they sound like heaven
I adored the setting it was just so beautifully described
This is a perfect Christmas read
I whole heartily love it

Sex positivity
LGBTQ+
Christmas

That’s just three main thing's of what you’ll find in Frosted by the Girl Next Door.

Firstly. My name is RARELY ever used as a name for a main character in a book. Tara McCoy works WITH her brother, Shawn, ironically also MY brother’s name, at their families bakery.

Next door to the bakery comes Casey, in hopes to open her very own sex shop after her divorce.

It was all so weird reading this and just imagining my own brother as Shawn in this book and seeing my name all over 😅

If you’re into LGBTQ+ and a good spicy Christmas story, give this a try!

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

I was really looking forward to this next collaboration between Aurora Rey and Jaime Clevenger since I’ve thoroughly enjoyed their other joint books.

However, this book was a little dull and the two main characters lacked that sizzling chemistry that was present in other collaborations. In my opinion, this story got off track with the Pavia storyline and the addition of Ingrid. I truly did not care about these characters or the need to send Pavia to rehab. I chose this book for the relationship that was to develop between Tara and Casey. The last twenty percent of the story was redeemed slightly with the twelve days of Christmas gifts that Casey planned in order to try to get Tara back. 3.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!! Thank you so much NetGalley for an early copy, I’m so incredibly grateful!
I loved this book so much, it was so Christmassy and I loved the town and I loved the coziness of the book, I loved Aspen too, rainbow converse for the win, I was so happy when Casey gave them a job too. The first 50% of this book was so perfect and cozy and christmassy and everything I want in a Christmas read, the romance too was so amazing and perfect. I also loved how everyone at the town meeting seemed against Casey’s store but then once it was open it sounded like everyone has been in at least once to buy something. Even Tara’s grandad came along in the end.
The third act break up and the whole Pavia situation kind of dragged it down to a 4 star for me, I still loved it though, for me I just think it dragged too much and I don’t know why Casey didn’t just tell Tara about it in the first place, and it just got too heated, and I didn’t understand the whole 12 days of Christmas gifts thing either, like how is that fighting for the relationship? It came across as kind of love bombing to me, and even after that they didn’t talk about it straight away, which sounded important to Tara in my opinion, and I would have liked to have seen that whole conversation rather than it be a “wake up in the morning and this is what happened last night” kind of thing?

It took a bit to growth on me but once the Main Characters really get to know each other the story moves at a great pace. It was fun the watch the characters grow together while working through their own issues.

It’s a good story about living large and finding yourself in a small town.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

This is an adorable festive season meetcute romance of two women looking for their new starts.

Casey finds the tourist town of Rocky Springs the perfect place for a fresh start. She's burnt out from the fallout of her divorce from her diva ex-wife and the publicity of her parents' glittering Hollywood lives.

Tara has returned to her hometown, and she's working hard in her family's bakery to prove herself to everyone. She doesn't need hot butch Casey arriving in town, threatening to open an upmarket sex shop next door to distract her.

As their attraction gains heat, they fall into bed together (eventually... they don'tmake it to the bedroom at first). It becomes clear that although they communicate extremely well on a physical level, they both have issues to work through before a healthy relationship is possible.

Can Casey learn to communicate what she needs and stand up for not only herself but also in their relationship?

Can Tara lower the walls built to protect her heart and learn to trust Casey and their relationship?

Between the frosting of cup cakes and the melting of hearts, this cute HEA read will leave you feeling warm and cosy as Christmas draws near.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*

Who doesn’t love a Clevenger/Rey mash up?
A cute little Christmas book.
Thank you for the opportunity to read

A perfect Christmas and enemies-to-lovers romance. With lots of hot moments and sweet, loving characters. Tara is the owner and baker of a cupcake bakery and has coy cupcakes with her brother.
It's the shop that has been in the family for ages and she wants to continue to run it successfully and at a new best level.
It doesn't help that a new shop is opening next door that sells adult toys and the like in the cute little town.
Even if the owner is the hottest woman Tara has ever seen and it doesn't matter that she's sweet and nice and apparently interested in Tara...or does it?
Casey flees to Rocky Springs for a fresh start after a disastrous marriage and divorce from Hollywood to escape the press trouble of her ex.
She has the idea of ​​her own shop and why not a high quality erotic shop for Rocky Springs?
Nobody could have guessed what kind of resistance she would face, including from the beautiful baker next door? Can she be so wrong?
I loved the easy and heated banter these two had after they find a way to be nice!
Thanks to the Authors, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a nice read. Well developed characters and nice plot. There was a bit of angst, and lots of spicy romance. The scenery was vividly described, and I always love a happy ending. It made me hungry for cupcakes!
I’ve read a previous Jamie Clevenger book, but none by Aurora Rey. The author’s collaboration worked well.

Cuando Tara y Casey se conocen, se sienten atraídas de inmediato. Tara se alegra al saber que Casey podría convertirse en su vecina, ya que quiere abrir una librería. Sin embargo, cuando descubre que lo que Casey realmente quiere es abrir una sex shop que venda libros eróticos, Tara da un paso atrás.

Cuanto más intentan mantenerse alejadas, más se acercan y se convierten en algo más que amigas.


Hay mucha falta de comunicación.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Frosted by the Girl Next Door" offers a delightful blend of romance, self-discovery, and humor against the backdrop of a quaint tourist town. The story follows Casey Stevens, who seeks refuge in Rocky Springs after stepping away from the chaos of her high-profile life. Her ambition to open a classy sex shop, juxtaposed with her past as the child of movie producer parents, provides a fresh perspective on the journey of starting anew.

Tara McCoy, with her determination to turn her family’s bakery into a beloved cupcake destination, embodies the spirit of resilience. Her initial resistance to Casey’s business venture adds tension and sparks between the two women, setting the stage for a slow-burn romance that explores themes of acceptance and self-care.

The dynamic between Casey and Tara is both electric and heartwarming, highlighting their personal growth as they navigate their feelings for each other. The dialogue is sharp and engaging, capturing the playful banter and deeper conversations that develop as they confront their pasts.

The town of Rocky Springs itself feels alive, with its charming locals and picturesque setting, creating a perfect backdrop for the unfolding story. The inclusion of baking and the tantalizing descriptions of cupcakes not only enhance the narrative but also symbolize the sweet and sometimes messy aspects of life and love.

Frosted by the Girl Next Door is a delightful read filled with humor, heart, and a touch of sass. It’s a celebration of second chances, self-acceptance, and the power of love.

This was a sweet Hallmark-style romance novel, so if that’s something you are into (like me) then this will be a great fit for you. A delightful holiday season read. Its sweet and also very spicy, with relatively low-angst aside from some minor misunderstandings and miscommunications. This was a very easy novel to read. It wasn’t quite up to hitting my 5-star standards, but if you are like me and love binging on holiday romance at the end of the year then this is well worth it to pad out your reading list.

Highlights:
-Fairytale Hallmark setting. This novel perfectly scratches that itch that I get each year around this time. It was perfectly full of fluffy snow, Christmas decorations, ice skating, and everything else you want to sink into during the holidays.
-Spiiiiicy…. With toys (obviously, although less than I expected considering)!
-Baker and a sex toy shop owner next door to each other? Absolutely delightful premise (even if it isn’t as original as it seems). I was sold on the blurb and the novel didn’t disappoint.
-Solid cast of supporting characters. Its common for novels like this to drop the ball on having secondary characters, but these ones were delightful while actually influencing the plot (instead of just being background scene fillers).
-This novel was simply sweet. At a bunch of different points and for different reasons, it was so sweet! The supportive sex-shop owner helping people to feel comfortable and empowered with themselves? Delightful. Helping old ladies try something new? Awesome.

Nitpicks:
-“Enemies to lovers” over-sells the conflict in this one. There certainly was some animosity between the protagonists at the beginning but it wasn’t anything too big in my opinion and it was resolved relatively quickly and easily. It was fine, but was one point that could have been improved upon.
-I was left with a lot of questions at the end of this novel. They were all unimportant side details, but it still felt like some plot points were left hanging. For example, Casey’s relationship with her parents was discussed a lot and drove a lot of plot but didn’t really go anywhere or get any sort of resolution or progress. There were some reveals near the end that I think warrant some big discussions that we never got to see. I realize that this isn’t directly related to the main point of the novel, but it is something that was brought up and discussed more than a little. Similarly, the protagonists “issues” were essentially handled offscreen which was a little less than satisfying after being the central point of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This review was left voluntarily and my opinions are my own.

LOVED this book!
Bakery and sex shops next door to each other - what a concept! And the meet cute, love story? I am in! Two women struggle with being vulnerable and intimacy - real and charming. Clearly sweet and lovely with steamy scenes though I could do without the third act breakup.
I have recommended this book to no less than 5 of my queer friends.

This book wasn't for me. I found it to be a little boring, and I couldn't make it past the first few chapters. I'll try reading it again in the winter; maybe I just needed more Christmas vibes.

Enjoyable holiday romance book. Extra plus to the sex toy shop addition and the extra fun that gave to the book. Overall a very angst free book and just a minor miscommunication that was solved rather quickly. A good book to read between the really tough ones with a lot of angst. It can heal your heart and you can believe in an easy nice romance again.