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Lindsey Salinger knows that her father would not be happy if he knew that she was helping the family of the man that killed her mother in an accident, but she could not hold it against the five-year-old that needed her now. Lindsey is forced to contact Zach to see if he can help his nephew and the grandmother that raised him.

Zach Rundle does not trust Lindsey¢s motives but he comes back home to prove her wrong. At first it looks like he is right and that his grandmother is fine, but then his grandmother is forced to ask for help. Lindsey is convinced that Zach should become the guardian to his nephew, but he knows nothing about children and he isn¢t sold on the idea, but somehow it starts looking like the right choice.

The Boy Next Door should be a staple in any Harlequin junkies book collection. Zach and Lindsey are both well written characters dealing with realistic situations in their lives that make them both easy to sympathize with and easy to like. The five-year-old nephew did not feel too old for his age, something I appreciated.

Tori
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Closer to 3.5 stars

Guilt. We have all had moments we would like to live over again. What if I it did this way? Or I did not do it at all?

THE BOY NEXT DOOR explored choices that Lyndsey Salinger and Zach Rundle made 13 years ago. These same decisions affected their lives as adults.

Alcoholism, dementia, child neglect and learning to let go of the past are a big part of this story. Ms. Knupp injected some realism and empathy for several of the characters. Not everyone was likable but you felt the turmoil that Zack and Lindsey went through.

I had issues with all of these heavy subjects coming to a quick fix at the end. Also, the large gap of time: 13 years. But I liked Zach and Lindsey and wanted good things to happen. Just remember, it is a Harlequin.

THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Amy Knupp

February 17, 2007

Rating **** (4 Stars)

Lindsey Salinger and Zach Rundle's families are tied together forever by a single tragedy - thirteen years ago Zach's brother Josh was driving under the influence of alcohol when he hit the car that Lindsey and her mother were driving, killing Lindsey's mother instantly. Whatever feelings Lindsey had for Zach were over. The Rundle's were bad news, and the Salinger's (and the town of Lone Oak, Kansas) were never going to forgive the Rundles and alcoholic son Josh.

Josh Rundle and his son Owen live with their grandmother Elsa next door to Lindsey's father. One day while Lindsey is checking up on her father, she spies a little lost boy outside, and figures out he's Josh's illegitimate son. Josh is nowhere to be found, and the five-year old boy is scared.

The grandmother, usually a formidable woman who does not get along with Lindsey, meets Lindsey at the door and acts nice towards her, which immediately raises a red flag in Lindsey's mind. Lindsey observed that Grandmother Rundle was the only one taking care of Owen at the moment, and Lindsey was not quite sure the woman was up to it. The fact that Elsa Rundle did not recognize Lindsey was not a good sign. Lindsey, who was a social worker, wanted to take action and see to it that Owen was in good capable hands. Obviously, his alcoholic father was useless, but what about Zach?

Lindsey contacts Zach to tell him about her concerns. He has yet to meet Owen, but feels that his grandmother is able to take care of the boy. It angers Zach that Lindsey is trying to interfere with his family, and he thinks this is just Lindsey's way of getting back at Josh for what happened thirteen years ago.

Zach returns home and at first does not believe any of Lindsey's warnings about Elsa, that Owen may not be safe in her hands. Zach does find out what it's like to take care of a little boy. He becomes an instant father, and Lindsey tries to persuade him that the best solution for everyone is for Zach to adopt Owen.

THE BOY NEXT DOOR is a many-layered story about two families tied together through tragedy. Because of this tragedy, a little boy needs a loving and responsible parent, but his father is not it. It is obvious that Lindsey's mother's death had impacted so many people around her, as it was evident in the characters in the story, all of whom had to live with the results of the tragedy. Josh continued to drink, starting a downward spiral since the day Lindsey's mother died. He was hardly ever home, and spent most of his time in bars and on the streets. A newly discovered son did nothing to help turn his life around.

Lindsey had a long hidden guilt about the accident, blaming herself for her mother's death. She also felt guilt about her father, who had major health issues, making Lindsey lie to her father about her renewed relationship with Zach, the only true love of her life. She was afraid that if her father knew about Zach, it would cause him another heart attack. The past seems to dictate her every move. It is Zach that finally points it out to her that she hasn't accepted her mother's death, and without doing that she could not go forward.

On the other hand, Lindsey's father seems to be a lot closer to his caregiver, Mrs. Hale. Lindsey is too focused on Owen and Zach to realize that her father may have possibly moved on, looking for a long-term relationship with a woman other than her mother.

THE BOY NEXT DOOR was an engaging book, with characters that were believable and the romance was right on the mark. As Zach and Lindsey take care of Owen, their past relationship blossoms once again, but the past keeps getting in the way. Readers will sympathize with Josh but will root for Zach, hoping he will find it in his heart to adopt the little boy who needed a father figure. Owen, as most young children featured in romance novels, will definitely win the reader's heart. This reviewer enjoyed THE BOY NEXT DOOR and gives it a recommendation. - Courtesy of Love Romances and More - M. Lofton

Lindsay Salinger's mother was killed in a drunk driving accident eleven years ago. The person responsible for her death was their next door neighbor Josh Rundle and she has never forgotten how it affected her. Even more than her family's hatred for the Rundle family, Lindsay feels the need to help anyone in need. She has always harbored feelings for Zach, Josh's older brother, but fought her attraction to keep peace in her family.

When Lindsay finds Owen Rundle, Josh's five year old son outside in his socks, without a coat, she takes him home to find he is being cared for by his great-grandma full time. Unsure for his safety, she finds herself calling Zach home to assess the situation before she takes her investigation to social services officially. As Lindsay gets to know the man Zach has become she finds herself getting in deeper and deeper with her emotions. Can these feuding families lay their animosity to rest?

The second novel by Amy Knapp is an emotional treat that will leave readers sighing. The dramatic changes in Zach as well as in Lindsay make them the perfect characters for a romantic tale with strings attached. Family feuds stop star crossed lovers frequently, but Ms. Knapp has given this tale a new light with the introduction of the nephew who needs someone to take care of him, and to ensure his safely.

THE BOY NEXT DOOR is filled with more emotional drama than this reader is used to finding in a Harlequin novel. This was a treat as it left tears in her eyes, yet a smile on her face. Lindsay and Zach may be the leading characters but Grandma Rundle and Owen will steal reader's hearts and hoping for the best. This reviewer only felt one downfall to this novel, and she hopes it will be wrapped up in a future novel. She was left questioning what happens to Josh. Can he stay sober and get his life together?

Review Courtesy of Love Romances and More