Next to You Review: A Bus Renovation, Patient Affection and Commitment Fears

The verdict

A good candidate for patient affection and practical shared work, with a real caveat about the single viewpoint and how convincingly Matt’s own needs are developed.

★★★★★★★★★★ Provisional Eikna score: 3.8/5. Four core dimensions cover 85% of the quality weight. Ending satisfaction and reread appeal remain unscored; heat is excluded. Researched editorial assessment; no firsthand reading claimed. Evidence confidence: moderate.

Book and edition facts

The author or publisher evidence identifies the work. Publication dates refer to the stated edition or release scope, not automatically the first appearance of the story. Unknown identifiers and formats are left open.

An early spark becomes a friendship boundary

PW describes an initial kiss followed by their agreement to remain platonic. Publishers Weekly

The trope still fits, but readers seeking years without attraction should understand the distinction. The tension comes from holding back an acknowledged possibility.

The bus gives the relationship something to do

Dell verifies Matt’s role in helping Lane convert the school bus. Dell

A shared physical project can show cooperation through decisions and effort. It also gives the pair time together without making every encounter a formal date.

Patient care wins the strongest praise

Murphy values believable flaws, Matt’s patience and Lane’s ongoing struggle with grief and anxiety. Leslie Murphy

Support is appealing when it allows someone to remain a whole person with work still to do. A romantic relationship need not promise that difficult feelings instantly disappear.

One viewpoint can narrow a generous hero

Becky finds Matt too polished and wants a fuller treatment of Lane’s agoraphobia. Bookcase and Coffee / Becky Jeeves similarly wants access beyond Lane’s perspective. Jeeves Reads Romance

Readers who enjoy a patient hero may forgive that imbalance. Those who want both partners’ interior lives given equal weight should consider the limitation before choosing.

Heat and content notes

Murphy discusses sexual intimacy and Jeeves describes a sexy romance, but precise frequency and a numeric heat classification are not established here. Leslie Murphy Jeeves Reads Romance

Reported notes include bereavement, anxiety, PTSD and agoraphobia; the critics differ on the depth of the portrayal. These reports are not clinical judgments or an exhaustive list. Leslie Murphy Bookcase and Coffee / Becky

Who should consider it

Try it for a patient hero, renovation teamwork and a relationship that makes room for difficult feelings. Avoid it if one-sided interior access or an unusually accommodating partner usually reduces your belief in a romance.

What the contrasting responses mean

PW offers trade praise for banter and momentum. Publishers Weekly Murphy is especially persuaded by the emotional support. Leslie Murphy Jeeves and Becky enjoy the connection while identifying viewpoint and characterization limits. Jeeves Reads Romance Bookcase and Coffee / Becky

Format, series and purchase guidance

PW identifies it as a sequel to Next of Kin; Murphy says it can be read on its own. The recorded Dell paperback edition appeared in April 2024. Publishers Weekly Leslie Murphy

A direct US product edition has not been verified. The Amazon link is a title-and-author search, with no specific format or availability promised. A verified Bookshop or Libro edition link is not yet available for this review.

We may earn a commission from purchases through our links, at no extra cost to you. Search Amazon for the title and author.

Seven-dimension evidence scorecard

Quality scale: 1 substantial weaknesses; 2 weaknesses outweigh strengths; 3 mixed; 4 strengths outweigh limitations; 5 exceptional sustained strengths. Half points are allowed. Weights: romance 30%, characters 20%, writing 20%, emotional impact 15%, ending satisfaction 10%, reread appeal 5%. A provisional overall score divides the supported weighted sum by its supported weight and rounds once to one decimal. Heat is descriptive and excluded. These scores express the evidence-based judgment explained in this review.

Questions before choosing

Were they never attracted before becoming friends?

No. PW describes an initial kiss followed by a decision to keep the relationship platonic. Publishers Weekly

Must I read Next of Kin first?

Murphy reports that it works as a standalone, although characters appear in the earlier book. Leslie Murphy

Does romance cure Lane’s anxiety?

Murphy specifically values her journey remaining a work in progress; no cure claim is made here. Leslie Murphy

Three books worth comparing

Book Lovers

Compare a relationship where career direction and obligations test what a shared future could look like, without a renovation project.

The Flatshare

Try another everyday-life relationship in which practical arrangements create intimacy, with shared housing rather than restoring a bus.

Beach Read

Compare personal uncertainty and difficult family history affecting attraction, with creative competition rather than friendship boundaries.

Follow the discovery route

The friends-to-lovers guide includes this book among other choices. Compare those options if its premise appeals but a limitation gives you pause. The Explore the different risks of falling for a friend explains the surrounding reading route and what to check before choosing.

Final recommendation

A good candidate for patient affection and practical shared work, with a real caveat about the single viewpoint and how convincingly Matt’s own needs are developed. Try it for a patient hero, renovation teamwork and a relationship that makes room for difficult feelings. Avoid it if one-sided interior access or an unusually accommodating partner usually reduces your belief in a romance.

Search Amazon for the title and author when this balance matches what you want to read.

Sources and assessment limits

1. Penguin Random House / Dell. Inspected for this assessment; source URLs and lineage are retained in the local evidence record.
2. Publishers Weekly. Inspected for this assessment; source URLs and lineage are retained in the local evidence record.
3. She Reads Romance Books / Leslie Murphy. Inspected for this assessment; source URLs and lineage are retained in the local evidence record.
4. Jeeves Reads Romance. Inspected for this assessment; source URLs and lineage are retained in the local evidence record.
5. Bookcase and Coffee / Becky. Inspected for this assessment; source URLs and lineage are retained in the local evidence record.

Checked October 6, 2026. The How this assessment was researched preserves attributions and research limits. Unknown details do not establish absence. Purchasing links use our account.