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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Great story with characters I loved spending time with. Looking forward to more by this author!
"The Aussie Next Door" by Stefanie London was a true pleasure to read. I adored the main characters, Jace and Angie, and wanted nothing more than for them to find a way to be happy together. They each had more than their fair share of struggles in life, and as a result their HEA, when it finally came, felt incredibly well-deserved.
It would have been easy to pity Angie after everything she went through as a child, but she had such a positive attitude that it was impossible for me not to admire her strength and resilience. Angie's determination to make a difference in her adopted community of Patterson's Bluff was inspiring too. I found Jace to be an inspiration as well because of his constant awareness of how his autism might impact the people he loved, and even though he thought he couldn't change, he certainly seemed willing to try because he had such a big heart. These qualities made Angie and Jace a fantastic couple, and it was easy to root for them both individually and together.
In addition to Angie and Jace and the story of their relationship, I very much enjoyed getting to know Jace's family in this book. They were great fun as secondary characters and I hope that they will be featured in future books. Angie's friend Chloe, the yoga instructor, was a lot of fun too. Patterson's Bluff seems like a really cute little town with a wealth of future story possibilities.
"The Aussie Next Door" is the first book I've read by Ms. London, but it certainly won't be the last. I look forward to the next book in this series!
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
It would have been easy to pity Angie after everything she went through as a child, but she had such a positive attitude that it was impossible for me not to admire her strength and resilience. Angie's determination to make a difference in her adopted community of Patterson's Bluff was inspiring too. I found Jace to be an inspiration as well because of his constant awareness of how his autism might impact the people he loved, and even though he thought he couldn't change, he certainly seemed willing to try because he had such a big heart. These qualities made Angie and Jace a fantastic couple, and it was easy to root for them both individually and together.
In addition to Angie and Jace and the story of their relationship, I very much enjoyed getting to know Jace's family in this book. They were great fun as secondary characters and I hope that they will be featured in future books. Angie's friend Chloe, the yoga instructor, was a lot of fun too. Patterson's Bluff seems like a really cute little town with a wealth of future story possibilities.
"The Aussie Next Door" is the first book I've read by Ms. London, but it certainly won't be the last. I look forward to the next book in this series!
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
[I received a physical copy from the publisher for an honest review]
The Aussie Next Door was an absolute pleasure to read. It's my first Stefanie London book but it won't be my last. I am thrilled this sweet contemporary romance is the start of a new series because I can't wait to revisit charming Patterson's Bluff in the future.
"The weird thing about Angie: being around her was like standing in the eye of a hurricane. There was a small space of calm in the swirling chaos. She made everything in the outside world fade away, leaving only them."
Angie is an American who has never felt accepted or at peace until she came to Australia. Bad news her visa is expiring, and she either needs to get hitched or say goodbye. If only her landlord who she has been crushing on since she first got there wasn't against the idea of marriage. Jace, her landlord, is on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum and has trouble expressing his feelings. He likes his quiet and his routine. The thought of Angie leaving doesn't sit right with him, and he feels worse as he watches her try to find her mister right. In two months Angie, with the help of two unruly mutts, turn Jace's world upside down.
"Being wanted by someone like Angie - someone so kind and sweet and true - was like coming home after being away too damn long."
The Aussie Next Door is filled with characters who will put a smile on your face. Angie is bubbly, sweet and kindhearted. Jace is completely swoon worthy and perfectly unique. And they both have some serious abandonment and insecurity issues, but they work so great together when they aren't trying to be people they aren't. An abundance of sweet honest moments, passionate intimate scenes, and dog mayhem make this such a well-balanced read.
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The Aussie Next Door was an absolute pleasure to read. It's my first Stefanie London book but it won't be my last. I am thrilled this sweet contemporary romance is the start of a new series because I can't wait to revisit charming Patterson's Bluff in the future.
"The weird thing about Angie: being around her was like standing in the eye of a hurricane. There was a small space of calm in the swirling chaos. She made everything in the outside world fade away, leaving only them."
Angie is an American who has never felt accepted or at peace until she came to Australia. Bad news her visa is expiring, and she either needs to get hitched or say goodbye. If only her landlord who she has been crushing on since she first got there wasn't against the idea of marriage. Jace, her landlord, is on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum and has trouble expressing his feelings. He likes his quiet and his routine. The thought of Angie leaving doesn't sit right with him, and he feels worse as he watches her try to find her mister right. In two months Angie, with the help of two unruly mutts, turn Jace's world upside down.
"Being wanted by someone like Angie - someone so kind and sweet and true - was like coming home after being away too damn long."
The Aussie Next Door is filled with characters who will put a smile on your face. Angie is bubbly, sweet and kindhearted. Jace is completely swoon worthy and perfectly unique. And they both have some serious abandonment and insecurity issues, but they work so great together when they aren't trying to be people they aren't. An abundance of sweet honest moments, passionate intimate scenes, and dog mayhem make this such a well-balanced read.
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*3.75 rounded up! The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is a sweet small town romantic comedy.
Angie Donovan feels like she's finally found her dream home in Patterson's Bluff, Australia but her tourist Visa is set to expire in a few months. Desperate to stay, Angie sets out to fall in love with an Australian man and hopefully secure a quick proposal so she doesn't have to leave. If only her funny, attractive landlord Jace Walters was interested in her, that would solve all of her problems.
Jace loves his quiet life. He has a set routine, just enough distance from his loving family to feel like he has room to be himself and a comic that's currently up for syndication. Once he finds out about Angie's mission to find a husband in less than three months, Jace has trouble disappearing back into his routine. Angie is much too enticing and Jace starts to question whether he really wants a quiet life.
Having read and loved Stefanie London's Bad Bachelor's series, I was surprised the novel was more sweet than sexy. This definitely isn't a bad thing, but it wasn't what I expected when I started reading. I'm curious to see if the next novel (I think it's hero is Jace's flirty brother) will have the same sweet tone or if it will be a bit sexier to match Jace's brother.
Both Angie and Jace (Angie more so) had heavier backstories, which might explain the sweeter tone, but I had a hard time connecting to bot characters. I kind of liked Jace's brothers and Chloe from the yoga studio more. However, I did really like the nods to rom-coms from the 1990s and 2000s when Angie was beginning her quest for love at first sight and I loved how she tried to give Jace a rom-com education. Those were some of my favourite parts of the novel.
Overall I thought Stefanie London did a great job building the world of Patterson's Bluff. She also captured the sense of small town communities perfectly and I look forward to seeing how she builds on that in later novels.
Angie Donovan feels like she's finally found her dream home in Patterson's Bluff, Australia but her tourist Visa is set to expire in a few months. Desperate to stay, Angie sets out to fall in love with an Australian man and hopefully secure a quick proposal so she doesn't have to leave. If only her funny, attractive landlord Jace Walters was interested in her, that would solve all of her problems.
Jace loves his quiet life. He has a set routine, just enough distance from his loving family to feel like he has room to be himself and a comic that's currently up for syndication. Once he finds out about Angie's mission to find a husband in less than three months, Jace has trouble disappearing back into his routine. Angie is much too enticing and Jace starts to question whether he really wants a quiet life.
Having read and loved Stefanie London's Bad Bachelor's series, I was surprised the novel was more sweet than sexy. This definitely isn't a bad thing, but it wasn't what I expected when I started reading. I'm curious to see if the next novel (I think it's hero is Jace's flirty brother) will have the same sweet tone or if it will be a bit sexier to match Jace's brother.
Both Angie and Jace (Angie more so) had heavier backstories, which might explain the sweeter tone, but I had a hard time connecting to bot characters. I kind of liked Jace's brothers and Chloe from the yoga studio more. However, I did really like the nods to rom-coms from the 1990s and 2000s when Angie was beginning her quest for love at first sight and I loved how she tried to give Jace a rom-com education. Those were some of my favourite parts of the novel.
Overall I thought Stefanie London did a great job building the world of Patterson's Bluff. She also captured the sense of small town communities perfectly and I look forward to seeing how she builds on that in later novels.
This book is a steamy Aussie version of The Bride Test - even down to the visa predicaments!
Rating: 3 1/2 Caffeinated Stars
Trigger Warning: Childhood Abuse
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London was a sweet romance that kept me entertained while reading. One thing that I loved about this book is how Stefanie London was able to throw in some Aussie slang in a way that didn't force me to google the term. I loved that Angie was experiencing Australia through a tourist's eyes, and I loved seeing her using all of the slang terms throughout the book.
Though I liked the characters, I never really connected with them. Angie and Jace made an adorable couple. I loved that their quirks worked together, and I also enjoyed that they accepted each other unconditionally. With all that said, I don't understand why this book's description didn't mention that Jace is on the autism spectrum. I honestly think that this would have been a selling point of the book, so the fact that it did not mention it in the blurb was a little weird to me.
Something else that didn't sit right with me was the fact that Angie could easily overcome one of her biggest fears. Overcoming a phobia at the snap of a finger is utterly unrealistic. It's like telling a depressed person to think "happy thoughts," and they're magically cured. As someone who has a phobia that has worked for years to overcome it, it rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like the author glossed over what a phobia truly is.
Though I did have some issues with the book, I enjoyed it. The plot was cute, and the characters were fun to watch. This was a sweet romance that will make many readers swoon.
Trigger Warning: Childhood Abuse
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London was a sweet romance that kept me entertained while reading. One thing that I loved about this book is how Stefanie London was able to throw in some Aussie slang in a way that didn't force me to google the term. I loved that Angie was experiencing Australia through a tourist's eyes, and I loved seeing her using all of the slang terms throughout the book.
Though I liked the characters, I never really connected with them. Angie and Jace made an adorable couple. I loved that their quirks worked together, and I also enjoyed that they accepted each other unconditionally. With all that said, I don't understand why this book's description didn't mention that Jace is on the autism spectrum. I honestly think that this would have been a selling point of the book, so the fact that it did not mention it in the blurb was a little weird to me.
Something else that didn't sit right with me was the fact that Angie could easily overcome one of her biggest fears. Overcoming a phobia at the snap of a finger is utterly unrealistic. It's like telling a depressed person to think "happy thoughts," and they're magically cured. As someone who has a phobia that has worked for years to overcome it, it rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like the author glossed over what a phobia truly is.
Though I did have some issues with the book, I enjoyed it. The plot was cute, and the characters were fun to watch. This was a sweet romance that will make many readers swoon.
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is an entertaining read. I enjoyed the story, along with the two dogs that teach the main characters how to trust and love.
With Jace Walters suffering from the Autism spectrum and Angie Donovan who had suffered from child abuse in foster homes we find that these two will really have to work to fit with each other. As a high-functioning autistic adult, Jace thrives on structure and routine. After having his former fiancé leave him due to his quirks, Jace knows he could never be the man Angie needs. But, he’d rather have her in his life as a friend than not have her in his life at all.
Needing to escape her life in America, Angie flees to a quaint little town in Australia. Angie becomes involved in small town life, finally finding peace. Until her quiet life is suddenly falling apart with the news that her visa is expiring. With only two months remaining on her visa, Angie vows to find her HEA as that is the only way she can remain in Australia.
I liked this book, however, the pace of the first half dragged considerably. The second half of book was quite engaging and I was rooting for Angie and Jace to get their forever together!
ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
With Jace Walters suffering from the Autism spectrum and Angie Donovan who had suffered from child abuse in foster homes we find that these two will really have to work to fit with each other. As a high-functioning autistic adult, Jace thrives on structure and routine. After having his former fiancé leave him due to his quirks, Jace knows he could never be the man Angie needs. But, he’d rather have her in his life as a friend than not have her in his life at all.
Needing to escape her life in America, Angie flees to a quaint little town in Australia. Angie becomes involved in small town life, finally finding peace. Until her quiet life is suddenly falling apart with the news that her visa is expiring. With only two months remaining on her visa, Angie vows to find her HEA as that is the only way she can remain in Australia.
I liked this book, however, the pace of the first half dragged considerably. The second half of book was quite engaging and I was rooting for Angie and Jace to get their forever together!
ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't wait to read this story. It was such a cute premise. After all, who doesn't love an Aussie accent? Neighbors to romance trope is the perfect recipe for a meet cute. What I thought was going to be a cute romance went beyond that by being about a woman that needs a visa to stay in Australia, so enter her annoyed and sexy Australian neighbor. It was a story about 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 on paper, they become friends. And slowly that turns into something else.
Some things I felt were lacking: Angie threw in occasional Aussie words to try them out, but there was no "Aussie" accent in the book. Other writers have done this well. Rosalind James' New Zealand books, you hear the advent of her characters as you read it. This was lacking here big time. Besides the occasional Bloody Hell you'd never know Jace was Aussie.
High functioning Autism. This was done really well in The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test. Here, again, not so much. The author tells us he's autistic, and describes his love of routine, but the character is very well spoken and romantic for someone who has a hard time connecting to people. I feel like more could be done here.
Lastly, even high functioning, I can't imagine someone with autism being willing to leave their every day routine so completely like Jace does at the end, but that may just be my lack of knowledge there.
Even with those three points, this book was a winner to me. Angie's fears were believable and their relationship had realistic lowlights and highlights. This book is exactly what I love most about reviewing for Negalley, finding that wonderfully delightful book that you can't wait to recommend. Do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR list.
Some things I felt were lacking: Angie threw in occasional Aussie words to try them out, but there was no "Aussie" accent in the book. Other writers have done this well. Rosalind James' New Zealand books, you hear the advent of her characters as you read it. This was lacking here big time. Besides the occasional Bloody Hell you'd never know Jace was Aussie.
High functioning Autism. This was done really well in The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test. Here, again, not so much. The author tells us he's autistic, and describes his love of routine, but the character is very well spoken and romantic for someone who has a hard time connecting to people. I feel like more could be done here.
Lastly, even high functioning, I can't imagine someone with autism being willing to leave their every day routine so completely like Jace does at the end, but that may just be my lack of knowledge there.
Even with those three points, this book was a winner to me. Angie's fears were believable and their relationship had realistic lowlights and highlights. This book is exactly what I love most about reviewing for Negalley, finding that wonderfully delightful book that you can't wait to recommend. Do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR list.
