Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One night. One mistake. One very grumpy (and very hot) landlord. Sutton didn’t plan on moving into her one-night stand’s backyard cottage—but here she is, teenage daughter and all. And Atlas? He’s not just broody. He’s fully allergic to chaos… and Sutton is pure sunshine wrapped in trouble.
What I Loved:
🌟 Grumpy x sunshine that actually delivers
🌟 A teen daughter who steals every scene (Laurel, I adore you)
🌟 Fake dating with ALL the tension
🌟 Banter that’s sharp, sassy, and flirty
🌟 Atlas reading Sutton’s romance books 🥹
🌟 So. Much. Spice. (starting early and never letting up!)
🌟 That bar scene? Whew. Just whew.
Favorite Scene:
The night her cottage floods and he insists she stays in his house. Cue bed-sharing, flirty tension, and feelings sneaking in through every crack.
Why It’s 5 Stars:
This book hits every single one of my buttons—grump with a soft heart, fake dating done right, a fierce single mom, small town vibes, and a big golden retriever of a man hiding behind a scowl. The chemistry? Explosive. The emotions? Gut-punch good. And the HEA? Romance reader perfection.
What I Loved:
🌟 Grumpy x sunshine that actually delivers
🌟 A teen daughter who steals every scene (Laurel, I adore you)
🌟 Fake dating with ALL the tension
🌟 Banter that’s sharp, sassy, and flirty
🌟 Atlas reading Sutton’s romance books 🥹
🌟 So. Much. Spice. (starting early and never letting up!)
🌟 That bar scene? Whew. Just whew.
Favorite Scene:
The night her cottage floods and he insists she stays in his house. Cue bed-sharing, flirty tension, and feelings sneaking in through every crack.
Why It’s 5 Stars:
This book hits every single one of my buttons—grump with a soft heart, fake dating done right, a fierce single mom, small town vibes, and a big golden retriever of a man hiding behind a scowl. The chemistry? Explosive. The emotions? Gut-punch good. And the HEA? Romance reader perfection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Stalking
Minor: Toxic relationship
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I'm so grateful I got the chance to read this early and honestly I was looking for something light and romantic. I’ve been deep in fantasy and romantasy lately, so this was a nice little break. And wow, it was such a fun and swoony read!
Sutton is a strong single mom. She’s been through a lot, but she’s still full of hope and softness and I loved that about her. And then there’s Atlas… grumpy, moody, a bit mean, but deep down he’s a big soft teddy bear (though he’ll never admit it 😌). The way he’s so protective of the people he loves? Ugh, my heart.
Their chemistry? Immediate. They couldn’t stay away from each other even if they tried. The banter, the tension, the spice.... it all worked so well. And don’t even get me started on the library scene and Laurel calling him “Daddy Grump”... adorable.
I also lowkey want books for Lincoln and Declan too, but I am honestly excited for Xander's story for the Book 2!
Highly recommend this if you love:
💛 Grumpy x Sunshine
💛 Age gap
💛 Small-town romance
💛 Single mom rep
💛 One-night-stand turned forever vibes
It gave me everything I needed--- spice, a bit of emotion, and all the warm fuzzies.
Sutton is a strong single mom. She’s been through a lot, but she’s still full of hope and softness and I loved that about her. And then there’s Atlas… grumpy, moody, a bit mean, but deep down he’s a big soft teddy bear (though he’ll never admit it 😌). The way he’s so protective of the people he loves? Ugh, my heart.
Their chemistry? Immediate. They couldn’t stay away from each other even if they tried. The banter, the tension, the spice.... it all worked so well. And don’t even get me started on the library scene and Laurel calling him “Daddy Grump”... adorable.
I also lowkey want books for Lincoln and Declan too, but I am honestly excited for Xander's story for the Book 2!
Highly recommend this if you love:
💛 Grumpy x Sunshine
💛 Age gap
💛 Small-town romance
💛 Single mom rep
💛 One-night-stand turned forever vibes
It gave me everything I needed--- spice, a bit of emotion, and all the warm fuzzies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Stalking
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Grump Next Door by Brighton Walsh is a romance novel and the first book of her new Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove series.
I absolutely adored this one! This was my first book that I’ve read by Brighton Walsh and it definitely won’t be the last. I thoroughly enjoy her writing style. I mean, literally right from the dedication, I knew I was in for a good time here. This one is a great balance of sweet and spicy.
The writing style is fantastic. The female main character is entirely too relatable in some obscure ways for me. And I’m always a sucker for a growly grumpy man with a heart of gold. The surly and sassy teen daughter had me cracking up throughout. I just loved all of the characters and their connection with each other.
I think I just found a new favorite author! And this one is available on Kindle Unlimited.
I totally plan on reading some of her backlist now, as well as the books to come in this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Minor: Stalking