Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Bo Next Door

SERIES: Love Bank #2

AUTHOR: Duckie Mack

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 236 pages

RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2022

BLURB:

Ian enjoys the spotlight, the band, the fans—everything he’s worked hard to get. But very few people know the man under the fierce makeup and loud clothes.

Bodhi is excited for a fresh start in a new town where no one knows his past. Thanks to his hyper but lovable dog, Ollie, Bo runs into the hot and mysterious guy next door. His attraction to Ian is immediate, but dating his neighbor is a big risk.

Ian wants more than the casual hookups he’s been enjoying. Bo next door, with his crazy dog, makes him think it could be possible. Fame and notoriety bring challenges though, will it prove too much for Bodhi to handle?

Bo Next Door is an endearing story of love, trust, and finding someone who loves all of you. Sometimes the one you were hoping for is right next door.

The Love Bank Romance series features sweet LGBTQ love stories with a little heat.

REVIEW:

Ian is the lead singer of a rock band. It was hard work, but he loved it even if his stage alter-ego’s makeup, took a while to remove. Ian also struggled to find lovers who saw beyond the rock star. Fed up with one-nighters, he was ready for more. Then, Bo and his sister Lane move in next door. Bo, too, wants someone to see beyond his outer veneer, but who can he trust to love him completely. Thankfully, Ollie, a rescue dog with a heart of gold and questionable manners, adds a nudge, a paw, and a slobber to the mix.

Bo Next Door is book two in the Love Bank series and tackles the rarely written emotional and physical side of transgender – one that I exited the story better educated – thank you. Ian was first encountered in book one as a possible love interest for another character, and as he was somewhat of a scene-stealer, Ian got his own story. Other characters, too, from book one also make appearances.

The story centers around Ian’s band, the food bank, the pet shelter, and the interactive daily lives of Ian and Bo. The tale is told in the first person from Ian and Bo’s viewpoint, and other than a few instances of unqualified autonomous body parts, e.g., ‘my hands fisted’ that should have been ‘I fisted my hands’, it is technically sound. Worldbuilding and scenes are detailed, which generally I’m not a fan of, but in this story, the concept fits.

I was worried that the curse of the sequel would hit, as in that some aspects aren’t a surprise and, to a degree, it does. There are plenty of instances of the mutual appreciation society and self-deprecation. But it was wonderful to read a story packed with genuinely good people wanting to help others. This left my only true niggle, which was the use of acronyms. The author seems to assume that all the acronyms used are well-known. Some I understood, others I didn’t, and overall, I hate them; because many of the ones I knew as a child have changed their wording over the years. E.g., LOL used to mean lots of love – now it’s lots of laughs. Well, FML, IDK, WWBWB, and I’ve BITBFBA, and I still don’t like them.

Anyhow, back to the story. Bo and Ian are lovely characters whose attraction to each other is immediate. Lane, Bo’s sister, is a riot – one modern lass with some serious sass. However, the show’s star is Ollie – gotta love it when the pets know better than their owners and communicate more effectively. I’d also say that communication is the big message in this story. Without good communication, events go awry.

While reading, there were heart-melting moments, parts that made me laugh and one that made me cry. Like book one, Bo Next Door is akin to drinking a mug of hot chocolate with custard creams and marshmallows.

RATING:

BUY LINK: 

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