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The Soldier Next Door
Sometimes, love is right next door.
All twenty-seven-year-old Travis Schultz is supposed to do is keep an eye on the kid next door for a few weeks while his parents are out of town. Eighteen-year-old Owen Wheeler has other plans. Newly graduated, with plans to enlist in the Army, Owen wants to get laid before he ships out and he’s had a crush on Travis for years.
The age difference and the responsibility he’s been entrusted with make Travis hesitant, but the attraction is too much to deny. When the casual one-night stand turns into something more, Travis has no idea how to tell Owen how he feels. He misses his opportunity before Owen leaves and is left at home with a broken heart when Owen cuts off all contact.
When they meet again years later, Owen is in the midst of recovery from being injured in the line of duty and Travis will have to decide if he can forgive Owen and try again.
Reader Advisory: This book contains brief mentions of PTSD and war-related injuries.
Publisher's Note: This book was previously released as part of the Right Here, Right Now anthology with Pride Publishing.
General Release Date: 28th November 2017
All twenty-seven-year-old Travis Schultz is supposed to do is keep an eye on the kid next door for a few weeks while his parents are out of town. Eighteen-year-old Owen Wheeler has other plans. Newly graduated, with plans to enlist in the Army, Owen wants to get laid before he ships out and he’s had a crush on Travis for years.
The age difference and the responsibility he’s been entrusted with make Travis hesitant, but the attraction is too much to deny. When the casual one-night stand turns into something more, Travis has no idea how to tell Owen how he feels. He misses his opportunity before Owen leaves and is left at home with a broken heart when Owen cuts off all contact.
When they meet again years later, Owen is in the midst of recovery from being injured in the line of duty and Travis will have to decide if he can forgive Owen and try again.
Reader Advisory: This book contains brief mentions of PTSD and war-related injuries.
Publisher's Note: This book was previously released as part of the Right Here, Right Now anthology with Pride Publishing.
General Release Date: 28th November 2017
47 pages, ebook
First published November 28, 2017
About the author
Brigham Vaughn
65 books524 followersBrigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 9, 2017
2.5 major tease stars.
This read more like a prologue not a short story. I say that because just when I thought the story was beginning it ended. I'm so disappointed. Ends at 82% and most of the story is a flashback.
This read more like a prologue not a short story. I say that because just when I thought the story was beginning it ended. I'm so disappointed. Ends at 82% and most of the story is a flashback.
November 28, 2017
Travis and Owen
Travis nine years older than the eighteen years old neighbors kid Owen...
He will have an eye on him will their parents are on a holiday.
Owen has a proposition.... before he will go in the army he wants to get laid and Travis is the right man for him.
When Travis decides to go with it they both know it's just once.
Only they can't get enough of each other...
When Owen ships off the contact is over....
Travis is devastated and left with a broken heart.
After four years Owen returns injured and more man than ever.
We get a look into how they connect, how they fit so well, how they can't get enough of each other and how it's over....and....what happens after all these years.
Short but very well written. Always in awe how so many can put down in a short read.
I really could read on and on
Kindly received an ARC from PRIDE publishing
Travis nine years older than the eighteen years old neighbors kid Owen...
He will have an eye on him will their parents are on a holiday.
Owen has a proposition.... before he will go in the army he wants to get laid and Travis is the right man for him.
When Travis decides to go with it they both know it's just once.
Only they can't get enough of each other...
When Owen ships off the contact is over....
Travis is devastated and left with a broken heart.
After four years Owen returns injured and more man than ever.
We get a look into how they connect, how they fit so well, how they can't get enough of each other and how it's over....and....what happens after all these years.
Short but very well written. Always in awe how so many can put down in a short read.
I really could read on and on
Kindly received an ARC from PRIDE publishing
November 29, 2017
Only one complain, I wish this book was longer, everything else, was perfect, they were talking to each other, they love each other, great short reads
November 14, 2017
3.5 stars
It may take some time to realise what you really need is just next door…
Twenty seven year old Travis Schultz never expected to feel attracted to his young neighbour Owen Wheeler, but having to spend some time checking on him while their parents are on holidays is making strange things to his libido. When Owen approaches him asking for a no-strings hookup before he leaves to join the army, Travis feels trapped between his own desire and his responsibility to look after him. But Owen is really convincing, and Travis gives in, not knowing what a heartbreak is waiting for him at the end.
A beautiful short story which relies basically in the strong attraction of the two main characters. We are told their story through a flashback. Owen and Travis have been neighbours all their life, but the age difference (nine years) makes Travis ignore Owen for most of his life. In the summer of 2004, when their families leave on a holiday together, Travis is tasked with checking on young Owen from time to time. Expecting to find a sulky and awkward teenager, Travis is really surprised to find a very attractive young man instead. Owen is eighteen but acts mature for his age. He is driven by his desire to join the army, and he’s had a secret crush on Travis since forever. When Owen asks Travis to help him with his virginity issue, Travis cannot refuse. What was going to be a casual hookup turns eventually into a really hot relationship which goes on, sharing secret encounters and keeping up with messages. But once Owen is deployed he stops answering Travis’ messages and leaves him to deal with heartbreak. Back to the present, five years have gone by when Travis finds Owen again. Owen is scarred, both physically and emotionally, but he’s looking for a second chance with the man he could never forget. Is Travis willing to forgive and forget? And is Owen ready for a relationship?
I really enjoyed the easy relationship between the main characters, how they move from acquaintances to friends and then lovers. It feels natural. The age gap is dealt with nicely, and all their story has an easy-going feeling about it. The ugly things, like the anguish over their breakup, or the stress Owen is going through after having been injured, are left out, in a time gap, focusing on the HEA they achieve.
In short, it is a beautiful story about first loves and second chances, which has a very positive vibe.
Enjoyable.
It may take some time to realise what you really need is just next door…
Twenty seven year old Travis Schultz never expected to feel attracted to his young neighbour Owen Wheeler, but having to spend some time checking on him while their parents are on holidays is making strange things to his libido. When Owen approaches him asking for a no-strings hookup before he leaves to join the army, Travis feels trapped between his own desire and his responsibility to look after him. But Owen is really convincing, and Travis gives in, not knowing what a heartbreak is waiting for him at the end.
A beautiful short story which relies basically in the strong attraction of the two main characters. We are told their story through a flashback. Owen and Travis have been neighbours all their life, but the age difference (nine years) makes Travis ignore Owen for most of his life. In the summer of 2004, when their families leave on a holiday together, Travis is tasked with checking on young Owen from time to time. Expecting to find a sulky and awkward teenager, Travis is really surprised to find a very attractive young man instead. Owen is eighteen but acts mature for his age. He is driven by his desire to join the army, and he’s had a secret crush on Travis since forever. When Owen asks Travis to help him with his virginity issue, Travis cannot refuse. What was going to be a casual hookup turns eventually into a really hot relationship which goes on, sharing secret encounters and keeping up with messages. But once Owen is deployed he stops answering Travis’ messages and leaves him to deal with heartbreak. Back to the present, five years have gone by when Travis finds Owen again. Owen is scarred, both physically and emotionally, but he’s looking for a second chance with the man he could never forget. Is Travis willing to forgive and forget? And is Owen ready for a relationship?
I really enjoyed the easy relationship between the main characters, how they move from acquaintances to friends and then lovers. It feels natural. The age gap is dealt with nicely, and all their story has an easy-going feeling about it. The ugly things, like the anguish over their breakup, or the stress Owen is going through after having been injured, are left out, in a time gap, focusing on the HEA they achieve.
In short, it is a beautiful story about first loves and second chances, which has a very positive vibe.
Enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2017
When Travis was asked to keep an eye on his 18 year old neighbor while his parents are away for a few weeks, he never expected it to change his life. Owen isn't exactly pleased with the idea of having his neighbor checking up on him for the few weeks his parents are gone, especially with him joining the Army at the end of summer but then maybe it won't be so bad when its the neighbor he's been crushing on for years. When Owen asks Travis for a favor of his own, will Travis comply? Where will it leave the boys when the summer is up and Owen leaves for Basic?
Followers of my blog and reviews already know how much I love the writing of Brigham Vaughn. Not only do I consider her a friend and kindred spirit but her writing style and ability to tell a story is amazing and never fails to entertain(that is my honest opinion that would be the same even if we disagreed over everything😉). The Soldier Next Door is no different, it may be shorter as its a novella originally part of Pride Publishing's anthology Right Here, Right Now but it is definitely not short on heart. Travis and Owen's journey is a perfect blend of romance, humor, and drama with a healthy dose of lust threaded throughout.
Perhaps the scenario that Travis and Owen find themselves in is something only found in books and television but the way Brigham creates it, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened on my block. Fiction is where we go to escape our everyday lives but when an author can bring you that escape and still fill it with people you could see walking past your front window, you know you have found something special. Would I have liked to seen more of the pair and had the future delved into? Of course, I never want a Brigham Vaughn tale to end but it is a novella after all. There was a time when I would have taken a half bookmark away automatically just for the "shortness" of the story but it was authors like Brigham that showed me when a story is well written with intriguing characters, length(or lack thereof) is not a factor.
Simply put: Travis and Owen's journey in The Soldier Next Door is a wonderfully fun tale and although its not a holiday story, I can't imagine a better time of year to give it a read.
Followers of my blog and reviews already know how much I love the writing of Brigham Vaughn. Not only do I consider her a friend and kindred spirit but her writing style and ability to tell a story is amazing and never fails to entertain(that is my honest opinion that would be the same even if we disagreed over everything😉). The Soldier Next Door is no different, it may be shorter as its a novella originally part of Pride Publishing's anthology Right Here, Right Now but it is definitely not short on heart. Travis and Owen's journey is a perfect blend of romance, humor, and drama with a healthy dose of lust threaded throughout.
Perhaps the scenario that Travis and Owen find themselves in is something only found in books and television but the way Brigham creates it, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened on my block. Fiction is where we go to escape our everyday lives but when an author can bring you that escape and still fill it with people you could see walking past your front window, you know you have found something special. Would I have liked to seen more of the pair and had the future delved into? Of course, I never want a Brigham Vaughn tale to end but it is a novella after all. There was a time when I would have taken a half bookmark away automatically just for the "shortness" of the story but it was authors like Brigham that showed me when a story is well written with intriguing characters, length(or lack thereof) is not a factor.
Simply put: Travis and Owen's journey in The Soldier Next Door is a wonderfully fun tale and although its not a holiday story, I can't imagine a better time of year to give it a read.
March 7, 2018
3,5 heart review by PizzyGirl
I enjoyed this short story. Both MCs were likable and I easily understood their budding relationship.
I am glad the author set this one up as a flashback situation. She engaged me in their outcome right away so it was much easier for me to get into the mindset I personally needed to believe a romance could happen between an 18 year old and man almost 10 years his senior. I personally struggle with age gaps when one MC is so young but in this case, it was not an issue for me particularly because the MC did not read like a typical immature 18 year old.
I really liked the way the author portrayed their arrangement and their first time together. The emotions were there to let the reader know there was more to the story than just losing virginity before leaving for the army. The tenderness and care was just as easy to feel as the sexual tension. And then as things progressed into a long distance arrangement, I easily felt the emotions growing into more than just attraction. I felt for Travis as he got his heart broken and I believed it.
I do wish this would have been longer because there was a lot of telling after the men got re-acquainted. It happened in a natural way but I felt like the story was just getting started when it ended. Like I needed a bit of something more on the page to feel what their words were telling me. Granted, I understand this is a short story so there isn’t much time for development, but the story ended at 83% of the book and could easily have had one more scene to emphasize the reunion.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. It was a great history and beginning of something that promises to be long lasting. It is set up very well to be continued later should the author so choose. I would gladly read a sequel to see where these men end up in life. I am fully invested in their outcome and would love to see it turn out happy and how that happens.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I enjoyed this short story. Both MCs were likable and I easily understood their budding relationship.
I am glad the author set this one up as a flashback situation. She engaged me in their outcome right away so it was much easier for me to get into the mindset I personally needed to believe a romance could happen between an 18 year old and man almost 10 years his senior. I personally struggle with age gaps when one MC is so young but in this case, it was not an issue for me particularly because the MC did not read like a typical immature 18 year old.
I really liked the way the author portrayed their arrangement and their first time together. The emotions were there to let the reader know there was more to the story than just losing virginity before leaving for the army. The tenderness and care was just as easy to feel as the sexual tension. And then as things progressed into a long distance arrangement, I easily felt the emotions growing into more than just attraction. I felt for Travis as he got his heart broken and I believed it.
I do wish this would have been longer because there was a lot of telling after the men got re-acquainted. It happened in a natural way but I felt like the story was just getting started when it ended. Like I needed a bit of something more on the page to feel what their words were telling me. Granted, I understand this is a short story so there isn’t much time for development, but the story ended at 83% of the book and could easily have had one more scene to emphasize the reunion.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. It was a great history and beginning of something that promises to be long lasting. It is set up very well to be continued later should the author so choose. I would gladly read a sequel to see where these men end up in life. I am fully invested in their outcome and would love to see it turn out happy and how that happens.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
November 28, 2017
A sexy story about second chances. When Owen’s parents are on vacation, Travis is asked to keep an eye on him. Owen is several years younger but very hot, and Travis can’t help really keep an eye on him. Then Owen asks Travis to have sex with him before he leaves for basic army training. Reluctantly, Travis agrees as he thinks it is better him than anyone else. Despite his warning to Owen to not get attached, it is Travis whose feelings are getting complicated.
After Owen comes home, scarred and suffering from PTSD, Travis knows he has never forgotten Owen and vice versa. What started as some casual learning experience for Owen, became a true connection for both men. The heart knows what the heart wants.
The story is told in flashbacks, but it easy to follow. The past is all about their physical attraction. The present is when they really get to know each other on an emotional level.
After Owen comes home, scarred and suffering from PTSD, Travis knows he has never forgotten Owen and vice versa. What started as some casual learning experience for Owen, became a true connection for both men. The heart knows what the heart wants.
The story is told in flashbacks, but it easy to follow. The past is all about their physical attraction. The present is when they really get to know each other on an emotional level.
November 28, 2017
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book. It starts of with a series of flashbacks about how Travis and Owen came together all those years ago. I especially loved that for once it was the older mc who realised his feelings instead of the younger one.
I liked that even though their both suffered with the fallout out of Owen leaving and going to war and pretty much abandoning Travis their where able to talk things through and seem to be willing to try again despite the pain it caused them both.
My only complaint that it wasn't longer. I really hope that in the future we get to read more about these two and the hopefully beginning of a wonderful relationship despite the obvious problems that their will both have to overcome.
I really liked this book. It starts of with a series of flashbacks about how Travis and Owen came together all those years ago. I especially loved that for once it was the older mc who realised his feelings instead of the younger one.
I liked that even though their both suffered with the fallout out of Owen leaving and going to war and pretty much abandoning Travis their where able to talk things through and seem to be willing to try again despite the pain it caused them both.
My only complaint that it wasn't longer. I really hope that in the future we get to read more about these two and the hopefully beginning of a wonderful relationship despite the obvious problems that their will both have to overcome.
November 29, 2017
I thought Owen was adorable, bent on what he wants and willing to ask for it no fear. Which is good as he has joined the Army. I like that Travis and Owen grew up on the same street, just 9 years apart, enough that they didn’t have a big history together but definitely a crush on Owen’s part. I liked that their first wasn’t the last we see of them together and I hope there’s more for them, although in my mind, it’s totally an hea. But I love stories with military guys and how their lives change after coming home. I would recommend this individual story as well as the anthology, Right Here, Right Now that Soldier Next Door is part of.
October 3, 2017
Short novella, included in the anthology, "Right Here, Right Now", this sparkling little ditty is a story of neighboring young men, Owen and Travis. Travis is a 27 y/o man, back home living with his parents after losing his job. Owen is an 18 y/o young man who Travis has known all his life and watched grow up. Owen's parents ask Travis to keep an eye on their house, and Owen, while they go off on vacation for 2 weeks. When Owen asks Travis to be his first sexual experience before going off to the army, sparks fly and feelings get involved. This is a sweet, lovely, emotional story. I loved it.
January 20, 2023
short sweet and oh so spicy
Loved the story. They had an immediate clicking that despite the age difference made their encounters so much better. Loved how Travis kept trying to convince himself that it was casual and it was obviously not. Especially since he was the ‘older and more wiser one who made a point that feelings could be a problem’. Lol. So adorable. Loved how they both couldn’t forget the other despite the years and other people. Cute ending with the moms.
Loved the story. They had an immediate clicking that despite the age difference made their encounters so much better. Loved how Travis kept trying to convince himself that it was casual and it was obviously not. Especially since he was the ‘older and more wiser one who made a point that feelings could be a problem’. Lol. So adorable. Loved how they both couldn’t forget the other despite the years and other people. Cute ending with the moms.
July 24, 2019
It’s OK
A decent short story though IMHO it would have been better without the forward/backward time jumps. The story is short enough that the jumps made it feel disjointed. Then again, this was written mostly for the sex. There was little relationship building and the end result was obvious.
A decent short story though IMHO it would have been better without the forward/backward time jumps. The story is short enough that the jumps made it feel disjointed. Then again, this was written mostly for the sex. There was little relationship building and the end result was obvious.
December 19, 2017
I liked this story. It's quite sweet, the flashback works well, the ust is hot, likable characters who do make the mistake of not communicating to begin with but no unnecessary angst, and they actually talk to resolve the situation they ended up in.
December 23, 2023
Missing him!
Short love story between two men, one about to enter the Army, the other, slightly older young man who had been asked to help with his Virgin status before leaving for boot camp.
Short love story between two men, one about to enter the Army, the other, slightly older young man who had been asked to help with his Virgin status before leaving for boot camp.
November 17, 2017
This story is exquisitely well written and a pure joy to read. Full Review to follow soon.
December 27, 2017
3.75 stars
June 11, 2019
A good story about ser persistente y el amor que puede durar años sin apagarse.
May 24, 2021
Enjoyable
Quick read about 2 guys who live next door to each other. The younger one joins the service. Good characters, enjoyed them!
Quick read about 2 guys who live next door to each other. The younger one joins the service. Good characters, enjoyed them!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews