3.5/5 stars
Frosted by the Girl Next Door is exactly what it promises to be — light, sweet, and full of small-town charm — but for all its cozy appeal, it doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression.

The setup is cute and familiar: opposites attract, a bakery is involved, and sparks fly. And while I enjoyed the overall warmth of the story, there were moments that felt a bit too safe or formulaic. The plot hits all the expected beats, sometimes a little too predictably, and the emotional stakes never quite rise above a simmer. It’s comforting, yes, but also a little flat in places.

The romance is sweet, but I didn’t always feel fully invested in the connection. The characters are likeable enough, but don’t feel as fleshed out as they could be — especially when it comes to what drives them beyond their attraction. I also found myself wanting more depth from the dialogue and emotional beats, which often skimmed the surface instead of digging in.

That said, the writing is smooth, and there’s an undeniable coziness to the setting. If you’re in the mood for a soft, sapphic romcom with low drama and high comfort, this will definitely scratch the itch. Just don’t expect anything particularly fresh or groundbreaking.

A charming queer Hallmark movie in book form.
Main flaw was the lack of communication between Casey and Tara, to a point that bordered on ridiculous.
It took time for me to warm up to Tara, after her initial judgmental views re: Casey's proposed new sex shop. The bigoted idea of a sex shop bringing in the "wrong type of people" frustrates me, especially coming from a queer woman, and that opinion was somewhat laughed off as Tara not actually believing that. Tara's eventual 180 to embracing Casey's store and helping with the window display felt a bit unearned.
Looking past that, if you're looking for a light-hearted sapphic holiday read, would recommend.

3.5/5 rounded up

This book was so fun and sexy! I loved the small town setting as well as the main characters banter. It was the perfect holiday read.

Absolutely fantastic book from start to finish!

Beautifully written and I was hooked !!

Cute read !!

This wasn't for me but I would 100% recommend it to a few of my friends who I know would love it. Its well written and a quick easy read but I just did not vibe with it unfortunately.

This was a fun story, but I feel like it wasn't memorable to me. It may just be a me thing, but I don't remember what happened in the story. The vibes I remember were great, and it was enjoyable, but when I don't remember plot points of the story, that tells me it wasn't memorable.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to receive an eArc in exchange for an honest review

I am admittedly writing this weeks after I finished the book which is never a good way to start a review and I may someday learn my lesson.. But what I have to offer at this moment is that it took me a minute (or many) to remember the entire storyline and arc of this book, and while I remember enjoying reading it and finding myself invested in the characters I didn’t particularly retain the details too vividly, in part because I read it during the holiday season and in part because I think it was a cute and nice story but it wasn’t particularly memorable.

What I do remember is that I found both Casey and Tara likeable- I enjoyed each of their own backstories and how their paths crossed- the somewhat forced proximity of their jobs in conjunction with the controversy of Casey’s store being placed right next to Tara’s cupcake shop is a storyline from romcom heaven.

The portion where I found myself feeling less thrilled was obviously the 3rd act breakup and not because they broke up but because of why they broke up. I was so disappointed with their communication… really.. I know… age old grievances. But it just seemed overused and under developed? Like the story was going in that direction and then it had to be accentuated when I think the miscommunication could have even still been the 3rd act breakup.. But just better executed and flushed out.

I know, I know, I really let the truth shine.. I do want to say I genuinely did enjoy the story and if you enjoy slow burns, finding identity, navigating family dynamics and societal expectations alongside self identity in the queer romance lens this is a great book for you!

A sweet and fun romance

When Casey lands in Rocky Springs to get away from her parents and ex-wife, she feels like it's the ideal place to start fresh. And to make her dream of owning a sex shop come true. The problem is, some of the townspeople and especially the baker next door, Tara, don't see this idea of hers as a good thing. But as the holiday season comes out to play, they will have to make do and tolerate one another because they can't afford to lose customers. Will this temporary truce soften the tension between them or turn it into something more heated?

This book was a lot of fun! From the start, I knew I would love Casey and her spontaneity. She's really inspiring and strong-willed, which I love about her. Tara stole my heart as well with her passion and dedication to what and who she loves. The relationship between those two might have started off on the wrong foot, they made quick work of setting their differences aside and explore what they could be, and I loved that the story evolved naturally from rivals to friends to lovers. It was a very sweet and hot romcom that had my heart bursting with love. The holiday season setting and shop owners narrative was also very good and added a sense of joy to the whole thing. The spice was HOT and on point, and I loved how inclusive the story was.

All in all, an amazing wlw romcom that I highly recommend, whether you're in the holiday cheer spirit or not!

“What’s the number one rule of running a successful business?”
Casey shrugged. “Fall in love with the baker next door?”

This was a fun read. This is a book I will pick up every Christmas to put a smile on my face. Casey, who just got out of a bad marriage decided to move from LA to a small town in Colorado and put in an upscale sex shop next to a bakery. The bakers, Tara and Shawn are upset that it will ruin their cupcake business. Then there’s the chemistry between Casey and Tara who you may think is kind of a prude, but she is not. The big question is, will their relationship thrive in this little town where everyone knows your business?

I just finished Frosted by the Girl Next Door and I am so glad I read it, even in the post holiday slump. This one was relatable, fun, and super sexy! I mean…it is a story about a cupcake baker and a sex shop owner, so of course it was a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy.
5 ⭐️
Almost like a classic Hallmark movie, but make it Sapphic, Frosted by the Girl Next Door features Tara, an uptight baker, and Casey, a new divorcee turned sex shop owner. In a charming small town that does Christmas like no one else, a newly opened adult store is not what will lead tourists to Tara and her sister’s cupcake shop. Though they’re chock full of chemistry between them, a push-and-pull ensues as Tara fights her desires for her closed-off view. Casey persists though and despite not being ready to date, she not only convinces Tara her shops not a bad idea, but woos her too. Of course, it can’t be that easy, there’s both of their fears, Casey’s train wreck ex, and a conservative townsman desperate to shut things down. There’s excellent representation in this novel, a truly classic third-act angsty twist, and spice that prude-ish Tara would blush at, but can’t seem to stop wanting.
This was a hit for me, especially with 30+ year old characters and a small, conservative town acting as a secondary character for these sapphic lovers.

Frosted by the Girl Next Door follows Casey Stevens who is starting over in Rocky Springs after a messy divorce. She opens up a classy sex-shop and meets Tara, the baker next door, who is not thrilled about Casey’s business opening next door. They reluctantly come to a truce, but as the story continues they find their relationship hearing up.

This book was like a sweet, spicy Hallmark Christmas movie, with a focus on being sex positive. Unfortunately, there was a lot of miscommunication trope in this story, which I’m not a huge fan of. It also felt like the plot was a bit disjointed in places, which was a shame.

Overall, it’s not a book I’d rush into rereading, but I still enjoyed parts of it.

Read this if you like:
✨Small town romance
✨Forced proximity
✨Spice
✨Festive read

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The characters were forgetful, to the point I couldn't remember which of the main characters was which.

You never really know what you’re going to get in a collab novel, but being a huge fan of Jaime Clevenger and having loved her last book, Houseswap 101, I was super excited to read this collab between her and Aurora Rey, an author who I’m not as familiar with. Unfortunately, this book was a real dud for me.

In my opinion, the authors didn’t really give us enough backstory and clear motivations on their characters and the conflict between Casey and Tara was resolved too early. After a few chapters I just found myself completely bored and didn’t care what happened to either one. Still a fan of Clevenger individually, but this was a dnf for me.

The story all in all was fine for me but I wouldn't really say it was a Christmas book.

The main characters were perfectly fine but I felt a disconect to them and the romance between them was cute, i wasn't that invested in it and many moments left me feeling infuriated at them. There was a big miscommunication trope that i just *sighs*.
The pacing felt a bit weird at times and it felt like some plot lines were just introduced out of nowhere.

This book was nice and cute but overall it was just an alright read for me and forgettable.












Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an earc of this book,

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. Here are my honest thoughts and review.

⭐ 2.5 Stars

Another day, another holiday read to finish 2024!

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me so I will keep my review short. The plot felt messy and lacked cohesion, which might stem from the two authors not being fully aligned on the story's direction. Overall, it seemed like the book was trying to cram too many tropes and topics into too few pages, as if aiming to hit market expectations rather than focusing on organic storytelling.

The sex scenes were okay—not bad but not particularly memorable—which was disappointing given that one of the characters owns a sex store. This setup had so much potential, but it wasn’t fully utilized.

The ending felt rushed and unnecessarily dramatic, almost as if the authors were scrambling to wrap things up with a big, explosive finale. I also really disliked the use of miscommunication as a trope here. In such a short book, it took over the plot and overshadowed any potential the story had. There are definitely better ways to build chemistry and develop a relationship between the main characters than relying on unnecessary frustration.

Ultimately, the plot was underwhelming and failed to deliver the fluffy, festive romance I was hoping for. That said, I’m sure others might enjoy this book more—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

This was a really sweet holiday romance, with just a little too much miscommunication for me! Tara and Casey were a gorgeous duo to follow and I loved their happy ending.

This was a sweet holiday romance. Casey opens a sex shop next to Tara’s bakery. Overall, it was an easy and pleasant read. At times, the point of view was difficult to follow. Recommend if you want a light read over the holidays.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

3.75⭐️
a cutie holiday read just wasn’t a fan of repetitive miscommunication but would recommend if you don’t mind that trope!

An adorable lesbian love story set in small-town Colorado, a celebrity visits the town of Rocky Springs and falls in love both with the town and its cupcake baker. They start a relationship and figure out how to communicate effectively, resulting in a cute happy ending.

Frosted by the Girl Next Door is a cozy and spicy holiday romance that brings together Casey, a recent divorcée looking for a fresh start, and Tara, a dedicated baker with big dreams for her family’s bakery. Casey’s decision to open an adult toy shop next to Tara’s cupcake business in the charming mountain town of Rocky Springs creates plenty of initial friction—and sparks.

The chemistry between Casey and Tara is undeniable, and their interactions range from laugh-out-loud funny to undeniably steamy. While Tara’s resistance to Casey’s shop fades quickly, their budding relationship is tested by Casey’s struggles with vulnerability and unresolved baggage from her past. The spicy scenes are well-written and playful, particularly with the addition of Casey’s shop inventory, but the miscommunication trope creates some frustrating moments which I thought slowed the emotional connection.

The festive setting, complete with snow, Christmas markets, and ice skating, adds to the book's charm, but a subplot involving a conservative townie intent on sabotaging Casey’s shop felt underdeveloped and lacked a satisfying resolution. Despite these small setbacks, Frosted by the Girl Next Door is an entertaining, lighthearted romance that pairs well with its companion book, A New Leash on Love. Perfect for fans of small-town romances with a bit of heat!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.