The Girl Next Door by Amy Jo Cousins (Bend or Break #3)
Released: June 16, 2015
Contemporary Romance
Samhain

Reviewed by Mandi

Kaetrin who reviews for Dear Author tweeted me a few days ago and recommend this book. She said the phrase, “straight guy BJ” and I was sold. A straight guy participating in a blow job with another man is like my unicorn. (More like a unicorn with two horns).

I digress.

There is much more to this story than BJs. Cash is one of the most likable heroes I’ve read. Told all in his point of view, he is fun, open, trustworthy and just a good guy. Sick of getting wealthy favors from his parents, he moves his entire life from Boston to Chicago and takes a job as a soccer coach for elementary kids in a poorer part of the city. He barely makes enough to pay his expenses, he lives in a crappy apartment and he couldn’t be happier. He is living his life now, and he feels fulfilled.

A few years back in college, Cash met and fell for a girl named Steph. Steph is a super confident, out-going girl with blue  hair and was always up for trying new things. They started a relationship and Cash realized his sexual knowledge was lacking. Steph pushed his boundaries (and pushed things up his butt). Doors were opened (back doors were opened?)  and he realized his view of sex and sexuality could be much broader. Their relationship ended when Steph fell in love with another woman. They both graduated and for the most part lost touch. But now Steph has also moved to Chicago, but with their hectic work schedules, they haven’t had a lot of time to see each other. When Cash’s seventeen year old cousin shows up unexpectedly and announces he is gay and needs help telling his parents, Cash turns to Steph for help. He also calls on his best friends (and gay couple) Reese and Tom (from book one, Off Campus – great book) to help out.

Cash and Steph start-up a friends with benefits again, but they both start to realize they want more out of the relationship.

Cash’s best friends are gay, he watches gay porn, he goes with them to gay bars – but he is straight. He fully accepts all lifestyles and knows sex and who you like is very much not black and white. He loves women and has never really been turned on by a guy, but guys loving other guys or Steph falling for a woman – he is totally on board with that. When his cousin comes to visit, newly out of the closet, although Cash doesn’t realize it, he is the best person to handle a confused teenager.

He loves Steph – and was heartbroken when she broke up with him in college. From the first time he sees her again, he can’t get her out of his mind. She very much wants to just be friends with benefits. She is scared of committing and getting hurt again. But eventually, they end up together. And what I really liked is that while there is still the predictable fight at the end before the official HEA comes, it was an actual fight – with cutting words and high emotion. No one just left not to be seen for three months. They have a fight – they say hurtful things, they really hash it out. I appreciated it. I do have a little niggle that I wish throughout the book, there had been a little more page time with just Cash and Steph. I think a little more emphasis on their romance would have enhanced the story.

The blow job comes into play when they play out one of Steph’s fantasies of having a threesome with two guys. It’s good y’all.

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. I didn’t realize two more books had been released until Kaetrin tweeted me about it. I need to go back and read book two as well. Cash and Steph are just really cool people. I can see why teens would look up to them and respect them. The supporting characters bring so much into this story as well. Definitely give this a try.

Grade: B

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