Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Dad Next Door

SERIES:  Crimson Club

AUTHOR:  Willow Dixon

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  304 pages

RELEASE DATE:  May 8, 2024

BLURB:  

Moving into my first house is step one in starting my new life. Next is setting up my contracting business. I’m so focused on my future that a relationship is the last thing on my mind.

Then I meet Tristan, the single dad next door. He might be my total opposite, but we click in a way I’ve never experienced, and he quickly becomes one of my closest friends.

After attending a wedding as his fake date to make his ex, and his ex’s new boyfriend, jealous, I can’t deny that things between us have changed. I always thought I was straight, but being with Tristan doesn’t just feel good, it feels right.

Having a fling with my neighbor might be a recipe for disaster, but it could also be exactly what we both need to finally move on from our pasts.

Quinn and Tristan’s story is a friends-to-lovers, bi-awakening romance between a retired porn model who just moved into his first home, and a single dad trying to navigate life after divorce. Expect a fake relationship, an age gap, found family, mental health rep, and all the feels as these neighbors find out that sometimes opposites really do attract. It is the fifth novel in the exciting new Crimson Club series but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW:

Note:  This is the fifth book in this series.  It does contain spoilers for previous books but can be read as a standalone.

Quinn is a busy guy!  He’s transitioned out of porn is just doing adult content himself now.  He still dances at Crimson Club from time to time, but now he’s got his contracting business really going.  He’s bought a new house and the day he moves in, he saves the day for Leo, the kid next door.  His single dad, Tristan, is grateful and comes over to introduce himself.  Tristan is gobsmacked by the gorgeous guy next door.  Tris is a vet who lives next door with his son and a bunch of cats and dogs (apparently he DOES take his work home 😉 ).  His twin sister Lydia is there to tease him about the hot new neighbor 🙂

Quinn gets harassed by some annoying neighbors when his crew shows up to do some work at his house.  Tristan calls them out and he makes friends with the group.  He’s got shared custody of Leo with his ex, Simon, so Leo is there every other week.  Simon is a nightmare.  He was abusive to Tristan in their marriage and he’s still trying to bully/control him through their son.  Tristan knows he’s overcompensating and overthinking but he so wants to be a good dad.  Simon lost interest in their marriage about the time Leo was born, but they have only been divorced for a year an a half and of course Simon was cheating with the guy he lives with now.

The weeks Leo is gone, Tristan is lonely and he and Quinn start hanging out.  They get to know each other really well.  They have great conversations and learn a lot about each other  When Tristan is invited to a friend’s wedding that he does not want to attend since Simon will be there with Jace, his boyfriend, Quinn offers to be his fake date.  But it ends up being far from fake 😀

Because of their situation – single dad with a kid, demisexual who hasn’t actually been with a man before – they take things really slow.  Neither minds that though.  Their friendship is the key – and neither wants to jeopardize that for something that might not last.  But the more time they spend together, the more real things get.  And luckily Quinn has a lot of support from his dad/stepdad too 🙂

Hands down my favorite book in this series so far.  Cute kid?  Check, Plethora of pets including Jinx the Sphynx?  Check. Adorable single dad who has been through the wringer?  Check.  Demisexual online adult content creator/exotic dancer/contractor becoming besties with his neighbor and then wanting more?  Check.  Fun and funny dad/stepdad family?  Check.  Cameo of previous MCs in this series?  Double check.  I really enjoyed every single bit of this story – well except for the douchecanoe ex, but at least he didn’t get away with his behavior forever 😉  Honestly I loved the organic way this relationship grew.  And who knew Quinn was a closet theater kid???  I loved how honest he was with Tristan and how much they supported each other – in everything.  One of my favorite books from this author.  Highly recommended.

RATING:

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