THE KING NEXT DOOR – Maureen Child
Kings of California Series
Harlequin Desire #2209
ISBN: 978-0-373-73222-7
February 2013
Series Romance

Southern California – Present Day

As one of the last few remaining single men left in his family, Griffin King isn't looking to get involved with any woman right now, especially one with a small child. Griffin is temporarily staying at his cousin's house while they're gone and has been warned to stay away from next-door neighbor Nicole Baxter, and since she has a little boy, he figures it will be easy to not get involved with her. But fate has a funny way of changing plans, and now Griffin can't get the idea of bedding Nicole off his mind.

Single mom Nicole is trying to keep her head above water financially, and when Griffin accidentally contributes to a fire in her house, she and her son are forced to move into her neighbor's house—the one Griffin is staying in—while her kitchen is repaired. Close quarters causes a trickle of attraction that soon turns into full blown lust. Griffin may have been warned to stay away from Nicole, but nobody told her. When she suggests a night of sex, how can he turn her down? But then one night turns into another…

Griffin was only trying to be helpful when an accident in Nicole's house caused a fire, but it proves to be a stroke of luck in Maureen Child's THE KING NEXT DOOR. Nicole is all too aware of Griffin's reputation as a ladies' man and doesn't want to be another notch on his bedpost, yet even she can't remain immune to his charms. The chemistry sizzles between them, helped along by some time together in a hot tub. She figures as long as no one gets hurt, a fling will get rid of the lust she feels for him. Alas, it makes her want him even more…

They say the harder they resist, the harder they fall, and that is the case for Griffin in THE KING NEXT DOOR. He's been shaking his head as the King men in his family fall in love one by one, and he's sworn that it won't happen to him. Affairs are the way to go, and when Nicole offers a temporary fling while they're under the same roof, how can he refuse? Nicole comes with a three year old son who soon worms his way into Griffin's heart. Nicole is well aware of Griffin's feelings about permanency, yet it doesn't stop her from falling in love.

THE KING NEXT DOOR is part of the continuing Kings of California series by Ms. Child, but can be read as a standalone even if a King or two pops into a scene. Like many of the King men, they resist the inevitable that makes them miserable until they finally give in and declare their love for their lady.

Another topnotch tale for February, THE KING NEXT DOOR is a sizzling read I highly recommend you put to the top of your to-be-read pile.

Patti Fischer