Name: Next to You
Rating: 3.965909090909091 (22 reviews)

Hannah Bonam-Young

Next to You

zulfa

“I’m not sure. I still need time, but if I’m going to love anyone, if I’m going to face my fears, if I’m going to give my heart away, as worn and hardened as it may be… it’s going to be you. It could only be you.”

Steph

I honestly can’t remember the plot for this book and I guess that says a lot. 

Two friends battle feelings for each other as they work together to renovate a school bus into a home in this charming romance novel from the viral TikTok author of Next of Kin and Out on a Limb. “Warm, sexy, and vulnerable . . . Hannah Bonam-Young needs to be on your romance radar.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Hannah Grace Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is heading nowhere, and simply put, she’s not happy. So, after a night out celebrating her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulsive purchase: a giant yellow forty-eight-passenger school bus that she intends to make her home. With little-to-no renovation experience but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt—a mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature. While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt and Lane have silently agreed that a friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. Matt’s a total family guy with “settle down with me” tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment averse. It could never work . . . right?

A Novel

As my Aim to finish series that I star continues I was super excited to dive into book 2 after finishing and enjoying book in the “Next” Series. Hannah Bonam-Young certainty has a way with words, character building and descriptions that just pull me in and don’t let me go until the very end!

This is a friend to lover’s romance, and it was so cute and had the sweetest hero! Lane and Matt meet at their best friends New Year’s Eve party (the couple of books 1) and they end up sharing a kiss at midnight. Instead of things progressing from there, they both kind of put one another in the friend zone instead. We cut to a little over a year later and they’ve become close friends! Lane is 27 and having a bit of an identity crisis: her career is headed nowhere, her friends are all partnered up, and she’s just not that happy. So, after a night of drinking on her birthday, she ends up purchasing a giant, yellow school bus she wants to make into a home! Lane has no reno experience, just a big inheritance to use, so she ends up enlisting Matt’s help since he’s a mechanic/handyman.

This story was about Lane’s journey to being happy and believing that she deserved to be happy. It was such a fun read. It was wholesome and beautiful. Easy to get into and read. I felt Matt’s love for Lane. The pining, the tension, the heat, the victory dance Matt did when he finally got some action, Matt’s family, the friendship, the audiobooks, the movie nights - all is what made this book such a great book

Ian Brakspear

As my Aim to finish series that I star continues I was super excited to dive into book 2 after finishing and enjoying book in the “Next” Series. Hannah Bonam-Young certainty has a way with words, character building and descriptions that just pull me in and don’t let me go until the very end!

 

This is a friend to lover’s romance, and it was so cute and had the sweetest hero! Lane and Matt meet at their best friends New Year’s Eve party (the couple of books 1) and they end up sharing a kiss at midnight. Instead of things progressing from there, they both kind of put one another in the friend zone instead. We cut to a little over a year later and they’ve become close friends! Lane is 27 and having a bit of an identity crisis: her career is headed nowhere, her friends are all partnered up, and she’s just not that happy. So, after a night of drinking on her birthday, she ends up purchasing a giant, yellow school bus she wants to make into a home! Lane has no reno experience, just a big inheritance to use, so she ends up enlisting Matt’s help since he’s a mechanic/handyman.

 

This story was about Lane’s journey to being happy and believing that she deserved to be happy. It was such a fun read. It was wholesome and beautiful. Easy to get into and read. I felt Matt’s love for Lane. The pining, the tension, the heat, the victory dance Matt did when he finally got some action, Matt’s family, the friendship, the audiobooks, the movie nights - all is what made this book such a great book

unfortunately no. this is my least favorite type of FMC: bisexual, free spirited, no commitment, fuck the patriarchy, black sheep of my very rich family type of girl who literally uses the MMC who is so blatantly in love with her and wrings him dry of all the kindness and support he gives her. i hate when a book makes me root for the man. but she treated him like actual shit. the writing is actually good, but god i hated the FMC. 

big ab

Friends to lovers is my bread and butter but there were too many things that bothered me in this:

-Matt is the perfect partner for so much of it that it sticks out even more when he gets weirdly transactional about Lane’s love. He says more than once “haven’t I done (blank) enough for you to be with me/love me yet? What more do I have to do” etc and I felt like it defeated the whole purpose of the story, to give and receive love without expectation or obligation of the future. 

-I know it was a small part but I cannot get past that her mom ended up with her (the mom’s) grief counselor/therapist. This author has such an incorrect take on the boundaries of therapy because weird and unethical therapy shenanigans happened in Out of the Woods as well. Everyone laughing at her mom finding her soulmate in this guy when that NEVER should have happened. 

-To reference agoraphobia by name and then pick up and drop it when it was convenient for the plot was also strange. I think the anxiety rep would have sufficed otherwise some more research and sensitivity readers were needed. 

-The Samoan culture felt tropified when magically she could communicate with her dad RIGHT after his mom explained her beliefs. And the communication was so literal it felt so clunky to me. 

-I read next of kin and yet I still could not keep the friend group straight. So many of their interactions were told and not shown like when Lane had a really important convo with Chloe and it was just like “had a heart to heart with Chloe and she understands” “talked on the phone with Chloe a few times” 

Abigail

Friends to lovers is my bread and butter but there were too many things that bothered me in this:
-Matt is the perfect partner for so much of it that it sticks out even more when he gets weirdly transactional about Lane’s love. He says more than once “haven’t I done (blank) enough for you to be with me/love me yet? What more do I have to do” etc and I felt like it defeated the whole purpose of the story, to give and receive love without expectation or obligation of the future. 
-I know it was a small part but I cannot get past that her mom ended up with her (the mom’s) grief counselor/therapist. This author has such an incorrect take on the boundaries of therapy because weird and unethical therapy shenanigans happened in Out of the Woods as well. Everyone laughing at her mom finding her soulmate in this guy when that NEVER should have happened. 
-To reference agoraphobia by name and then pick up and drop it when it was convenient for the plot was also strange. I think the anxiety rep would have sufficed otherwise some more research and sensitivity readers were needed. 
-The Samoan culture felt tropified when magically she could communicate with her dad RIGHT after his mom explained her beliefs. And the communication was so literal it felt so clunky to me. 
-I read next of kin and yet I still could not keep the friend group straight. So many of their interactions were told and not shown like when Lane had a really important convo with Chloe and it was just like “had a heart to heart with Chloe and she understands” “talked on the phone with Chloe a few times” 

The spice was good though. 

This was, and no surprise here, incredibly adorable. Hannah’s books are always amazing and am guaranteed to love the characters, laugh out loud, and swoon at the romance. This was so fun just like the first book was with a really unique concept that Hannah incorporates so well into the story. It’s so good and I highly recommend for y’all to read this book but every one of Hannah Bonam-Young’s books. 

Priscilla Stanfield

4.25/5⭐️ • 3/5🌶️

This was, and no surprise here, incredibly adorable. Hannah’s books are always amazing and am guaranteed to love the characters, laugh out loud, and swoon at the romance. This was so fun just like the first book was with a really unique concept that Hannah incorporates so well into the story. It’s so good and I highly recommend for y’all to read this book but every one of Hannah Bonam-Young’s books. 

“Are you flirting with me?” I ask. Or at least I think I do. His soft, single laugh surprised me. “For over a year now. Thanks for noticing.” He kissed next to my ear. 

Brittany Peterson

Hannah - a true literary rockstar! 

I loved this book so much!!! 

The friends to lovers is so good!!! 

“Are you flirting with me?” I ask. Or at least I think I do. His soft, single laugh surprised me. “For over a year now. Thanks for noticing.” He kissed next to my ear. 

Matt is the superior book boyfriend. 



I’m running on a Hannah Bonam-Young high and I don’t think I ever want to get over it. 

Matt is so charming and Lane was so determined. They’re hella cute. I’m glad they worked through things. 

Keira 💫

No because this book was so cute. 

I’m running on a Hannah Bonam-Young high and I don’t think I ever want to get over it. 

Matt is so charming and Lane was so determined. They’re hella cute. I’m glad they worked through things. 



"perhaps if i keep tugging on this invisible string, you’ll follow it home."

invisible string (the long pond studio sessions)

"perhaps if i keep tugging on this invisible string, you’ll follow it home."

invisible string (the long pond studio sessions)
feelings by lauv
getaway car by taylor swift hehe

celene

Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is leading nowhere, and she's just not happy. So, after a night out celebrating her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulse purchase: a giant yellow forty-eight passenger school bus that she intends to make a home. With little-to-no renovation experience, but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt – mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature. While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt's a total family guy with 'settle down with me' tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment averse. Matt and Lane have silently agreed that friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. So when Matt offers to help her with the bus, and in the bedroom, Lane's sure it can never work... can it?

One wild birthday, a fixer-upper bus, and a friends-to-lovers romance packed with forced proximity, emotional baggage, and a broody handyman

❤️🌈Giulia🌈❤️

annaaa

Cici Pearson

Emma Kamer

Tija

Two friends battle feelings for each other as they work together to renovate a school bus into a home in this charming romance novel from viral TikTok author of Next of Kin and Out on a Limb Lane is in the middle of an identity crisis. Her friends are all partnered up, her career is leading nowhere, and simply put, she's not happy. So, after a night out celebrating her birthday, she makes one hell of an impulsive purchase: a giant yellow forty-eight passenger school bus that she intends to make a home. With little-to-no renovation experience, but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt--a mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature. While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt and Lane have silently agreed that a friendship is the only thing that can ever exist between them. Matt's a total family guy with "settle down with me" tattooed across his forehead, whereas Lane is entirely commitment averse. It could never work . . . right?

Next to You

Reviews

Highlights