Release Blitz + Review: "The Girl Next Door" by Emma Hart

Congratulations to author Emma Hart on the release of her latest romantic comedy, "The Girl Next Door." I'm a big fan of the friends-to-lovers and fake relationship tropes, and they were both well-represented in this cute, sweet, and funny story. Main characters Kai and Ivy were likeable and well-developed, and I loved their witty banter as they got to know each other better while also dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.

A full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I recommend "The Girl Next Door" for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Also, be sure to one-click the free prequel, "The One-Night Stand Next Door," the perfect short, sweet, and steamy introduction to Kai and Ivy's story.

About "The Girl Next Door"

One accidental pregnancy. One fake husband. What can go wrong?

There’s nothing like starting your Monday morning with a positive pregnancy test.

Trust me, I know. Because I’m looking at one right now.

All I can think is: Oh, hell. My grandmother is going to kill me.

This might just send her to an early grave, so there’s only one option—pretending the father is my new husband.

If only he’d agree to fake it.

Kai Connors was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand. A long, dirty, one-night stand fueled by one too many tequila shots, where the only promise was to never speak of it again.

But if my unfairly sexy next-door neighbor gets his way, this fake marriage could turn out to be very, very real…

My Review

I enjoyed "The Girl Next Door" by Emma Hart, a cute, sweet, and funny story featuring an accidental pregnancy, a fake marriage, and a well-crafted friends-to-lovers romance. Main characters Ivy and Kai were both very likeable, and I was impressed at how well they reacted to the news of their unexpected bundle of joy. Kai was so sweet and supportive of Ivy, and I especially appreciated his willingness to indulge her frequent need for ice cream! I also loved Ivy and Kai's amusing conversations and banter as they got to know each other better and tried to navigate the complexities of their new relationship.

That said, I did feel that the story's ending was rather abrupt, and things didn't seem like they were entirely settled between Ivy and Kai. During their last conversation on the topic, Ivy still seemed to be having doubts about whether her feelings for Kai were real or only a result of pregnancy hormones. I wish that there had been one final conversation in which Ivy clarified her feelings for Kai before the end of the book.

Aside from that minor point, "The Girl Next Door" was a fun, enjoyable read containing wonderful characters and plenty of laughs. I recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy, and can't wait to see what Emma Hart writes next!

*ARC provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.