Right Next Door by A. J. Pryor
Contemporary Romance
E book
June 30, 2015
Self Published

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “I could stay like this all night. Breathing in your scent, never leaving your body.”

Addison Peacock has carried a torch for her college fiance for five years. When he leaves after graduation, promising to return, she is forced to stay due to her father’s illness. Now he’s back-only he’s married and she doesn’t find out till after they slept together. Shattered by his deceit and duplicity, Addison sees hope on the horizon in the fine, fine form of her new next door neighbor.

Damian Walker has his own problems. A car accident destroyed his sports career and took something very precious from him. Damian knows what it takes to get your life back on track and while he’d love to help Addison, he doesn’t have the inclination to be anyone’s rebound. If Addison wants a one night stand, she’s looking at the wrong man.

As Addison and Damian get to know one another better, the future starts to look brighter, but until Addison can let go of her past, all these two can ever be in next door neighbors.

Right Next Door looked in the beginning to be a lighthearted friends to lovers romance about a young woman who discovers the prince charming she waited years for is really a toad and looks to her neighbor for some sexual healing. Only it develops into being far more as we get to know the protagonists at the heart of it-Addison Peacock and Damian Walker. Love, loss, hope, and redemption all swirl together as our protagonists meet and begin their journey. The past plays heavily on the present; foreshadowing their actions and the emotional base on which they react. Both are damaged but Damian has already had ample time to move forward from his tragedy while Addison is just starting the recovery process.

“From here forward I’m going to be like the contestants from American Ninja Warrior-badass, unstoppable, and you better not mess with me because I’m not taking anyone’s shite.”

Their first meeting is like a nuclear explosion going off. Heavy flirting and instant white-hot attraction leaves them both a little stunned. Their chemistry is perfect…only they are not at the right stages on their lives to be together. Damian is looking for forever and Addison is looking for right now. Additional issues in their lives leaves them both weary of emotional intimacy and watching them get from point A to point B is a bittersweet mixture of lust, humor, misunderstandings, and some hot sticky dirty talk.

“I can’t believe you did that behind me.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to shoot my shite all over you like that. It was a lackluster attempt at birth control.” “What’s so funny?”
“I was only upset I didn’t get to watch you touch yourself. Next time, do that when I’m looking.”

Humor and sorrow fill the pages as Damian and Addison slowly, almost reluctantly, build a relationship from friends to lovers. I wasn’t sure I would like Addison at first. She was pretty passive aggressive concerning her ex boyfriend and tended to demand a lot from Damian without giving as much in return. She also pulls a stunt towards the end that left me questioning her rationale. Despite this, it’s very easy to see why Addison is the way she is. She is caught in a whirlwind as she struggles to define who she is and where she is going after she put her heart and life on hold waiting for the man she loved to return. She never really moved on from that point in her life and deep inside she knew she has to. Addison grows monumentally throughout the story; learns to understand that love is a gift that can bring you pain and joy without destroying you in the process. She also learns to love herself.

“I need to focus on me, as selfish as that is.”

Damian I loved. While he too has some secrets and heavy personal issues he was dealing with, he had no problems being honest with himself and with Addison. He saw her and KNEW she was the one for him and is willing to wait until she realises it too. He had already been down that road of one night stands and meaningless relationships. He wants marriage, the white picketed fence, and 2.5 kids.

“My life is complicated, I don’t do casual, and I don’t play games. I won’t be giving myself away piece by piece. When I find the right woman, it’s going to be all or nothing.”

This is not to say he’s a saint because he’s not. He has his guy “moments” that only serves to push Addison away more than draw her close. Luckily for her and us, Damian is a fast learner and both are equally adept at saying they are sorry.

Pryor does an impressive job of wrangling the main conflict while pushing additional subplots into the storyline. A complex array building that tugs at your heartstrings as readers follow the path set out for them. A well-developed cast of secondary characters further the agendas set out, giving us the information our protagonist can’t or won’t give. Pryor doesn’t pull any punches and makes both Addison and Damian work towards their individual goals. The pivotal moment hurts, I won’t lie, but we are gifted with an ending that more than left this reader happy and comfortable with Addison’s and Damian’s future.

RATING: B

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