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caitybell's review against another edition
2.0
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted and expected to. There’s a lot of internal monologue going and not a lot actually happening. The characters make choices that have no sense or logic behind them, but since they talk about what they are doing it sounds like a solid plan...until you take a break from reading and start to question all of it.
The two MC were bland and all their troubles and characterization is repeated over and over with different wording in their heads, it was obnoxious. Especially when you knew they would come to the same realizations eventually. So I just wished a lot of the “oh my should I do this” and “I don’t know how to feel about that” over and over was cut it felt wholly unnecessary when you knew it would end happily...because it’s a romance...a little resistance is good. Not chapters upon chapters of internal struggle.
The romance was flat and random and boring.
The stakes were high, a deportation was on the horizon, and yet...the main woman internally freaks out about it but her plan to stop it, while wildly unrealistic, could have been charming. Instead we get a rushed and quickly failed execution on her part. Not to mention her priorities are majorly screwed up. Which causes the author to constantly try and feed you reasoning for something that really isn’t smart at all for the two MCs by the bucketful. Leaving you annoyed and skipping paragraphs to just finish it already.
This girl is the poster child for a bad case in CPS in America. I found her story insensitive, and far reaching. Without going into details, basically the author thought of the most terrible things she could and put this girl through it. All the while giving her unwanted fame from the media getting involved, so much so she flees to Australia...and a year later is at risk for deportation. All unrealistic. America’s a big place. Not every single person in it would know some girls face from the news about an abused child. Or maybe they would, I’m not sure because something like that just doesn’t happen.
The family interactions were alien and felt ridiculously forced to me. The sex was bland.
The best and frankly only parts I really enjoyed were those with the dogs. The dogs are amazing.
All in all, the book could have been trimmed down significantly and the characters made more interesting than their pets.
The two MC were bland and all their troubles and characterization is repeated over and over with different wording in their heads, it was obnoxious. Especially when you knew they would come to the same realizations eventually. So I just wished a lot of the “oh my should I do this” and “I don’t know how to feel about that” over and over was cut it felt wholly unnecessary when you knew it would end happily...because it’s a romance...a little resistance is good. Not chapters upon chapters of internal struggle.
The romance was flat and random and boring.
The stakes were high, a deportation was on the horizon, and yet...the main woman internally freaks out about it but her plan to stop it, while wildly unrealistic, could have been charming. Instead we get a rushed and quickly failed execution on her part. Not to mention her priorities are majorly screwed up. Which causes the author to constantly try and feed you reasoning for something that really isn’t smart at all for the two MCs by the bucketful. Leaving you annoyed and skipping paragraphs to just finish it already.
This girl is the poster child for a bad case in CPS in America. I found her story insensitive, and far reaching. Without going into details, basically the author thought of the most terrible things she could and put this girl through it. All the while giving her unwanted fame from the media getting involved, so much so she flees to Australia...and a year later is at risk for deportation. All unrealistic. America’s a big place. Not every single person in it would know some girls face from the news about an abused child. Or maybe they would, I’m not sure because something like that just doesn’t happen.
The family interactions were alien and felt ridiculously forced to me. The sex was bland.
The best and frankly only parts I really enjoyed were those with the dogs. The dogs are amazing.
All in all, the book could have been trimmed down significantly and the characters made more interesting than their pets.
anahm's review
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
julie_hastings's review against another edition
5.0
This was my first Stefanie London book and it did not disappoint.
The Aussie Next Door was everything I needed to read during the month of love. I am still swooning. This was the perfect tale of how love is not easy. It's messy, it's hard, it takes a lot of work but if you can work at all of those things, love is the most beautiful thing in the world.
The story starts out with an American woman who moved to Patterson's Bluff. She is escaping a life she is afraid of back in the United States. While she has been loving her new life, she finds out that her visa is about to expire. She has 2 months to find a bachelor in Aussie country to marry. Little did she know that after all of her searching .... the hot, autistic Australian neighbor has been the one for her this whole time.
This book was beautiful, hopeful, funny and endearing. I had moments of laughter, fondness, annoyance, tears and love. For me this book was everything and more. This Valentine's Day my husband posted a video of pictures of us throughout the 6 years we've been together. In his post he talks about many important love-able things but at the end he writes: "One of the many reasons I love her is the fact she knows this song (and movie) word for word." In the background of the video is the song Adam Sandler sings to Drew Barrymore on the plane during the movie The Wedding Singer.
While reading this book, in chapter 24, page 342 a paragraph read "Jace found himself grinning stupidly when Adam Sandler walked down the aisle of the plane, singing and strumming his guitar. Maybe Angie was right, and there was something to these movies." In this instance, this book became my most favorite read of all time. Thank you Stefanie for giving me all the feels and making a connection into my life without even knowing it.
The Aussie Next Door was everything I needed to read during the month of love. I am still swooning. This was the perfect tale of how love is not easy. It's messy, it's hard, it takes a lot of work but if you can work at all of those things, love is the most beautiful thing in the world.
The story starts out with an American woman who moved to Patterson's Bluff. She is escaping a life she is afraid of back in the United States. While she has been loving her new life, she finds out that her visa is about to expire. She has 2 months to find a bachelor in Aussie country to marry. Little did she know that after all of her searching .... the hot, autistic Australian neighbor has been the one for her this whole time.
This book was beautiful, hopeful, funny and endearing. I had moments of laughter, fondness, annoyance, tears and love. For me this book was everything and more. This Valentine's Day my husband posted a video of pictures of us throughout the 6 years we've been together. In his post he talks about many important love-able things but at the end he writes: "One of the many reasons I love her is the fact she knows this song (and movie) word for word." In the background of the video is the song Adam Sandler sings to Drew Barrymore on the plane during the movie The Wedding Singer.
While reading this book, in chapter 24, page 342 a paragraph read "Jace found himself grinning stupidly when Adam Sandler walked down the aisle of the plane, singing and strumming his guitar. Maybe Angie was right, and there was something to these movies." In this instance, this book became my most favorite read of all time. Thank you Stefanie for giving me all the feels and making a connection into my life without even knowing it.
niniwags's review against another edition
5.0
What an amazing story of love, learning and acceptance. Things we should all strive to do everyday.
The love story between Jace and Angie is so heartfelt and incredible. Ms. London does such an amazing job of telling this story of 2 people who just want to be loved and accepted for who they are.
And really, isn't that all anyone should want in life. Everyone has their quirks and differences; that's what makes us all unique individuals and no one should ever be judged for being their real self.
The love story between Jace and Angie is so heartfelt and incredible. Ms. London does such an amazing job of telling this story of 2 people who just want to be loved and accepted for who they are.
And really, isn't that all anyone should want in life. Everyone has their quirks and differences; that's what makes us all unique individuals and no one should ever be judged for being their real self.
chrissy3562's review against another edition
5.0
I adore this book. Jace was a hero we haven’t read before. Angie had a unique story as well, but not as unique as Jace. This book was one that I read pretty quickly because I got into it. Definitely recommend this book.
ldooten's review against another edition
3.0
This was just okay. The beginning of this book drags really bad. It took putting it down, and coming back to it several times before I was able to get into it. The second half of the book was paced better, but I'm still on the fence about it as a whole. It's mentioned in the blurb that Angie was in the foster care system, but in actuality, what happened to her was a little much for what was supposed to be a light hearted romance. I really didn't feel like I even got the whole story with that situation. Jace was considered high functioning autistic, so I can honestly say I haven't read a hero like him before. Jace and Angie were good together when it finally gets to that point, and the ending was sweet. Although I wasn't a huge fan of this one, I would give this author another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
heyjudy's review
2.0
Maybe 2.5 stars?
This seemed cute at first, but it lost momentum halfway through, and then their miscommunication and breakup, and how they made up from it, we’re just kind of annoying to me. It seemed a bit cheesy at times. More typos than I would have expected too. But the ending was nice enough, I suppose. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t really like it and struggled to finish it.
This seemed cute at first, but it lost momentum halfway through, and then their miscommunication and breakup, and how they made up from it, we’re just kind of annoying to me. It seemed a bit cheesy at times. More typos than I would have expected too. But the ending was nice enough, I suppose. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t really like it and struggled to finish it.
agrandromance's review
5.0
Perfect mix of sweet and spicy
This is a really heartfelt romance with two great protagonists as leads and a wonderful seaside town called Patterson's Bluff as the backdrop. Jace and Angie have wounds from the past that they need to work through but if they can do it together they will be all the better for it. This book has it all: cute dogs, quirky town, beach parties, and hot and steamy times. Can't wait for the next trip to this town!
This is a really heartfelt romance with two great protagonists as leads and a wonderful seaside town called Patterson's Bluff as the backdrop. Jace and Angie have wounds from the past that they need to work through but if they can do it together they will be all the better for it. This book has it all: cute dogs, quirky town, beach parties, and hot and steamy times. Can't wait for the next trip to this town!
teresajluvs2read's review against another edition
5.0
**I received a copy of The Aussie Next door from Net Galley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions were not solicited in any way.**
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is I hope a new series featuring the town of Patterson Bluff and the Walters family. I loved this book and even though I've only read one other book by Ms. London (Beauty and the Greek Billionaire) her books are just fantastic. This is Jace, a comic artist and Angie's story with a sassy group of senior citizens the Poker Ladies, and of course Tilly and Truffle a pair of dogs that are mismatched, a Chihuahua and a German Shepard, but will keep you in giggles until the early hours of the morning.
Angie Donovan grew up in the foster care system in the US and a when one of her parents abused left her with scars both inside and outside. But she's come to Patterson's Bluff, Australia where she not hounded by the press but is just Angie it helps her landlord Jace Walters but wonderful people who don't care who she is or or why she's there. But after only two days she's fell in love with the town and it's people oh and Jace. But can she win over the board of the local care center as well as Jace who's orderly world has been turned upside down and now includes dog sitting for his mother's friend.
Jace Walters has always been different than the rest of his brothers and sister he loves routine and order calmed his "high functioning" autism. When he gets talked into watching Tilly and Truffle for 2 months will throw his schedule off, now if he can just get beyond his writer's block for his comic. When he finds out Angie may have to leave because her visa extension is denied and if she wants to stay she'll need to get married. Will he watch while she researches the towns bachelors or will he offer himself because she's become very important to his life?
The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London is I hope a new series featuring the town of Patterson Bluff and the Walters family. I loved this book and even though I've only read one other book by Ms. London (Beauty and the Greek Billionaire) her books are just fantastic. This is Jace, a comic artist and Angie's story with a sassy group of senior citizens the Poker Ladies, and of course Tilly and Truffle a pair of dogs that are mismatched, a Chihuahua and a German Shepard, but will keep you in giggles until the early hours of the morning.
Angie Donovan grew up in the foster care system in the US and a when one of her parents abused left her with scars both inside and outside. But she's come to Patterson's Bluff, Australia where she not hounded by the press but is just Angie it helps her landlord Jace Walters but wonderful people who don't care who she is or or why she's there. But after only two days she's fell in love with the town and it's people oh and Jace. But can she win over the board of the local care center as well as Jace who's orderly world has been turned upside down and now includes dog sitting for his mother's friend.
Jace Walters has always been different than the rest of his brothers and sister he loves routine and order calmed his "high functioning" autism. When he gets talked into watching Tilly and Truffle for 2 months will throw his schedule off, now if he can just get beyond his writer's block for his comic. When he finds out Angie may have to leave because her visa extension is denied and if she wants to stay she'll need to get married. Will he watch while she researches the towns bachelors or will he offer himself because she's become very important to his life?
heyjudy's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe 2.5 stars?
This seemed cute at first, but it lost momentum halfway through, and then their miscommunication and breakup, and how they made up from it, we’re just kind of annoying to me. It seemed a bit cheesy at times. More typos than I would have expected too. But the ending was nice enough, I suppose. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t really like it and struggled to finish it.
This seemed cute at first, but it lost momentum halfway through, and then their miscommunication and breakup, and how they made up from it, we’re just kind of annoying to me. It seemed a bit cheesy at times. More typos than I would have expected too. But the ending was nice enough, I suppose. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t really like it and struggled to finish it.