The Boy Next Door

Jessica Jarman

Publisher:
Samhain Publishing

Release Date:
January 30, 2007

Genres:
Erotica
Contemporary Romance

ISBN:
eBook
9781599983196

Bookmark Rating:

Reviewed by
Jennifer Ray

Review Posted:
May 2008

When Darcy returns home for her parents’ anniversary celebration, she postpones telling them she has left her cheating fiancée behind for good.  They will find out soon enough, and she knows the moment her mother discovers her newly single status, the not-so-subtle matchmaking attempts will begin anew – and likely with the next door neighbor’s son and her life-long friend, Mac.  But one look at Mac and she suddenly starts to wonder why that would be such a bad thing…  She has known him all of her life, but he has never stirred these feelings in her before!  Risking their friendship is something she isn’t so sure she is ready to do – no matter that he is inspiring the most titillating dreams! 

Mac missed his chance before, but now that Darcy is single again, he is determined to convince her to take their friendship to the next level, and he wants it all!

It does not matter how many variations on the theme there are, I never ever tire of reading stories where friends find true love and a happy ending together!  Jessica Jarman’s twist on this motif is absolutely wonderful and will surely bring a smile to the face of the most jaded reader.

Mac is the typical Alpha male, complete with the ability to exasperate both his heroine and the reader.  But even when he is being frustrating, your heart goes out to him, knowing that he is acting out of good intentions and honest love. 

Fresh from a bad break-up, Darcy is understandably skittish, but finds in Mac a trusted friend who can help her build the self-confidence her thoughtless ex-fiancee so callously dashed to pieces.  In the beginning, she simply hopes their friendship will survive a frivolous fling.  It isn’t long before she realizes their friendship is deeper and stronger than she ever realized before, and her feelings for Mac can never return to the way they were.

Perhaps it is my own desire that my own soul-mate will begin as a friend, but I find stories like The Boy Next Door endlessly inspiring.  Indeed, it is tales of this sort that have helped to rebuild my faith in romantic love, and Jarman serves her readers well with this book.

This was my first read by Jessica Jarman and I am wholeheartedly looking forward to more from this talented writer!

Note:  This review was originally written by Jennifer Ray for another review site.  It is being reposted at Wild on Books.

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