Dillion lost her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment all at once and she’s at a cross roads of what she wants to do. When she learns her dad needs help with the family company, she returns home to the small town she couldn’t wait to leave as a teen.

Shortly after getting settled, she checks on her late neighbors cottage. She doesn’t know what she expected to see when she arrived but it’s definitely not the naked man she meets in the living room. Little does she know that he is her neighbor’s grandson and the person who is about to change everything.

This story is so much fun. Not only is it a fantastic small town romance, it is also an entertaining enemies-to-lovers with a splash of mystery. It has a lighthearted feel but isn’t light on feels. The characters are wonderfully developed and I couldn’t help but root for Dillion and Van from their first interaction.

Dillion is awesome. She knows her worth and I love that she stands up for herself. She left her small town years ago for city life and now that she’s back, she has decisions she has to make.

Van is going through some things and he doesn’t know who to trust or what is going on. He, too, lived in the city but troubles at home has him taking some time away in the place he loved growing up.

When Dillion and Van meet, they definitely start off on the wrong foot and their banter is gold. They have an entertaining progression from enemies to lovers and I loved being along for the ride. They are all fun whether they are fighting or getting along and I appreciated that there was obvious attraction but it wasn’t insta love. They get to know each other and realize that first impressions aren’t always the correct ones. I love how their feelings sneak up on them after forming a friendship and how they open their hearts to love.

The secondary characters are great and we get of some glimpses of our favorite hockey players. It also has some mystery to the story revolving around Van’s troubles and I loved the way it all played out. I loved Grammy Bee. Her love for Van and Dillion is heartwarming and the letter she left for Van was perfect! I loved how everything came together.

Overall, Love Next Door is a fantastic start to the Lakeside series and I cannot wait for more.  I am excited to see who the next book features as there are plenty of characters I would love to get more of!