THE SHERIFF NEXT DOOR was a lovely read from start to finish! This was my first by this other and by way of introduction to her books, it was a good one. Violet and Dax were interesting characters. I found myself drawn to both. Neither is looking for a relationship but are accidentally thrust into a pretend one that proves to be more real than either are prepared for. Their journey to happily ever after was filled with touching moments of faith, family and ultimately love. I’m giving this book the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

Violet, the only veterinarian in the county and head of an animal rescue, is constantly busy and swatting away unwanted dates arranged by her well-meaning sisters. When she rear-ends the new sheriff, Dax, their awkward encounter takes a surprising turn. Soon after, a series of coincidences—namely, Dax’s surprise family visit and mistaken assumptions—leads the pair to fake a relationship for two weeks.

The “fake dating to keep family interference at bay” trope is front and center here, and while it sets the stage for undeniable chemistry and some truly cute moments, it’s also what holds the story back for some readers—especially those expecting a more overtly values-driven plot. The central lie, though lighthearted and ultimately harmless in the story’s arc, can feel at odds with the Christian tone, leaving a moral gray area that may clash with reader expectations.

That said, the book is well-written, with strong pacing, natural dialogue, and endearing characters. Violet and Dax are both likable, hard-working, and relatable, and their professional dedication and mutual respect give their budding romance a solid foundation. The side characters, including meddling family members, add humor and warmth, rounding out the community vibe.

Overall, this is a clean, charming romance that fits the “faith-flavored fluff” category well—perfect for readers who enjoy small-town charm, a gentle romance, and don’t mind the fake dating trope, even when it involves a little white lie.

Widowed sheriff Dax Adams has moved to town for a fresh start. He feels he needs to get away from the memories of his deceased wife. His new neighbor veterinarian Violet Spencer has not made a good 1st impression. When they meet the second time it's even worse. When Violet goes next door to welcome her new neighbor her surprise is it's the sheriff. While she is there is family show up and think this is a girlfriend. He asks her to pretend for the two weeks his family is town. After spending time together, they realize there is something between the two of them.

I enjoyed reading this book. I love romance, and this was a sweet, light read. I would absolutely recommend reading this one!

I’m surprised a Love Inspired book is flaunting the fact that these two characters started their relationship as a giant lie to keep their families from involving themselves in their love life and/or life in general. I didn’t really appreciate that. It left a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth, a Christian romance book promoting lying that just so happened to work out, you know what I mean? They didn’t intend to actually land themselves in a relationship.

Violet is the only vet in the county and also runs an animal rescue and adoption center. Super busy, she doesn’t have time for romance, yet her sisters keep setting her up on dates. When on of these busy mornings she accidentally runs into the back of the new sheriff’s, Dax, patrol cruiser. Rule follower to the T, Dax insists on getting everything straightened out before he’ll release her from the scene, leaving Violet vowing to try and avoid him.

So imagine her surprise when she takes fresh baking to meet her new neighbor and it turns out to be him. To make matters worse, the second time she rolls around his family has decided to come down unannounced and spend two weeks with him and they assume that she and Dax are dating. Dax does nothing but encourage this, leaving Violet to either play along or get the man in trouble with his family. Violet doesn’t like lying to people but decides to go along with it because it will also help her get her sisters off her back. Enter sour taste in my mouth. I didn’t like that part one bit.

I’m not a hardcore religious person by any means, but I can tell you right now lying is frowned upon, whether you are religious or not. Yet these two do it anyways despite not knowing a single thing about each other. They promise to only have it going for two weeks, until his family leaves. Fortunately, for the plot these two learn that they rather like each other, but they pull away from each other because they are worried about losing the friendship they have made under these false pretenses.

So What Did I Think?

If we completely ignore the lie that got them into their relationship for a second, it’s not bad. They seemed to match each other quite well with both being really driven by their professions…and trying to avoid overbearing family interference. They seemed to have good chemistry. The story itself is mostly lighthearted and cute. It falls squarely into what I like to refer to as my Christian romance fluff read category…minus the lying to family.

I don’t know why I am so hung up on the fact that the whole thing started as a lie, but I am. Fake dating isn't one of my favorite trop by any means, but if done right, I'm okay with it. Probably, again, because this is a faith-based book that basically condones lying because it might work out and I don’t like it. I was taught from a young age that lying to family was a terrible thing to do and against god’s teachings, so maybe that’s why, even though I wouldn’t call myself highly religious.. But if you’re okay with the fake dating trope to get family to leave off in a Christian romance book, then you’ll probably love this one.

The writing is solid. The dialogue felt natural. It's pretty well written. I don't have any complaints about the writing or editing really and I even liked the story. Except the lie it was all built upon.

Fake dating at its best! I absolutely loved this, especially the hilarious moment when Dax and Violet first met.

Dax is the new sheriff in town, and Violet's the local vet. Their accidental encounter, with Violet running into Dax's patrol car, leads them to agree that avoiding each other might be the best option. But then, Violet visits her new neighbor, only to discover the sheriff is her neighbor. Her timing couldn’t have been worse. With Dax’s family in town and her impromptu visit sparking rumors that they're dating, the two decide to play along. It's just two weeks of fake dating... or so they think.

The more time they spend together, the blurrier the line becomes between real and fake, leaving them both confused. As their relationship deepens, they start to pull away, fearing the loss of their friendship. But is that really what they want? Are they running from their feelings and a possible future together?


I'd give this one 4.5 stars , rounded to 5!

This story was fantastic, and the chemistry between them was incredible. The pressure of their families meeting and coming together added a fun layer to the plot, and those stolen kisses, so sweet! They tried to deny what was happening, but everything happened for a reason! I need to backtrack and read more books from this series. And I'm curious if Erins' story will be next!

Normally in romance when it's a fake dating thing it's generally the heroine who comes up with the scheme so it's nice to see that in this case it's the hero who has the plan.