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Living Next Door to Heaven—10 eBooks

Cover of Guardian Angel

“This story has it all—if you like well-developed characters, a strong story line and good dialog, that is.”

The Honeys sang “Growing up is hard to do” back in 1965. Thirty years later, the words encapsulate the lives a group of Indiana teens who struggle with love, friendship, sex, sports, and independence. This coming of age story, set in the 90s, is narrated by Brian Frost, the shrimp geek of the neighborhood. Through the intervention of the beautiful neighbor girl and future model, Jessica, who Brian has always considered to be his idea of Heaven, a few classmates take it upon themselves to protect the kid from bullies and be his friend.

Brian is not without substance, however, as his new group of friends discover when he stands up to bullies who attempt to rape Jessica. The group learns something new about friendship, about loyalty, bravery, and even about love. Instead of a satellite to the group, Brian soon becomes the core around which it revolves. When it comes to coping with the frightening aspects of becoming an adult, of taking on responsibility, of protecting each other, and of seeking excellence, Brian leads both by example and by compassion.

Everything is not a bed of roses for the teens, no matter how they try to support each other. Relationships implode or are torn apart. People die. Teams lose the big tournament. Kids get depressed, high, tattooed, pregnant, and abused. It’s part of life. But through it all they create a new community, supporting each other, creating their own businesses, excelling in their fields, and when the time comes to make a stand, going on the offensive.

The story tracks the group from the time they are ten until they are out of their teens and making their way in the world. As a result, there’s no “real sex”, as one reader put it, until Book 4. But there is all the sexual tension and teens trying to push the boundaries that you could possibly want.

Buy the complete 10-volume eBook collection of Living Next Door to Heaven at Bookapy!

“Why should you read this story? Because it will make you cry. The characters are real. The joy is real. The pain is real.”

 

Guardian Angel (Living Next Door to Heaven 1)

Cover of Guardian Angel

Indiana isn’t heaven, but she lived right next door.

Brian was the geekiest, shortest, and oldest kid in his class—the frequent target of the neighborhood bullies. But “Heaven” was watching over him and made sure he stayed safe and had friends that would protect him. Until the day that Brian became the protector.

This begins the coming of age adventure of Brian Frost, would-be chemist and aspiring cook. And loyal enough to his friends that they gather to him and become fiercely loyal. All because Jessica told them a fairy tale.

“Captivating story of a middle American boy coming of age.”

 

The Agreement (Living Next Door to Heaven 2)

Cover of The Agreement

Can teens control their hormones out of mutual respect and love?

Do whatever is necessary to protect and defend the ones you love. Treat others with kindness and respect. Keep your promises.

Brian lived by those Life Rules. Having survived junior high, Brian finds himself in a troublesome position. His classmates, the crew he’s been hanging with for the past four years, are worried. Sex is looming on the horizon and hormones are wreaking havoc on their relationships. They ask Brian, who has proven he can be trusted and will protect them, to give them rules for dating that they can all follow. But it remains to be seen if twenty-two teens can date each other—mix or match—and maintain their friendships, boundaries, and virtue.

“Excellent right of passage story with engaging characters and interesting challenges.”

 

Foolish Wisdom (Living Next Door to Heaven 3)

Cover of Foolish Wisdom

There’s a new school superintendent and a revolution is brewing.

The game changes as Brian and his dating group enter their sophomore year in high school. Some of the boys and girls can’t wait for the sixteen-year-olds’ rule that expands the limits on touching. Just no penetration. But how fast and how far does each teen want to go?

They will scarcely have time to worry about it in the face of a wedding, a summer job, new school rules, a campaign against the school board, basketball, gymnastics, martial arts, shifting alliances, and broken dreams. And horses. It’s all in a typical teenager’s day. These kids are no exception.

“What a really outstanding story! Would that my school years were anywhere near as good.”

 

Deadly Chemistry (Living Next Door to Heaven 4)

Cover of Deadly Chemistry

How can life be so unfair?

Reeling from Hannah’s sudden move away from town, Brian and his clan struggle to still believe in each other. Hannah’s shocking attempted suicide devastates all.

Most of the crew are juniors and seventeen. The rule against penetration has been eliminated. Who will be first to go all the way? Surprisingly, none of them are rushing. Maybe because they are waiting for Brian and Whitney to take the lead. Prom night will be something special.

In the midst of their conjugal joy, disaster strikes again. “Do whatever is necessary to protect and defend those you love.” It was Brian’s mantra. It was all that kept him sane after a confrontation he could never mention to anyone. And Hannah understood.

“Extremely well-written. Great descriptives of everything, and I don’t mean just the sexy bits. A story worth re-reading.”

 

The Rock (Living Next Door to Heaven 5)

Cover of The Rock

We need some new words to describe these relationships!

There are lovers that are just fun and lovers that come with a commitment and girlfriends who aren’t ready to be lovers and multiple relationships and a whole group of people who have begun forming family units. It gets pretty confusing until the forty teens involved decide to formalize their relationship as a clan with different casa. Without his direct input, Brian is accepted as the patrón of the clan. But on the night of their organization celebration, a phone call changes the tenor of the gathering.

Hannah has been hospitalized by her unstable boyfriend. Brian has had enough and vows to bring her home. When he faces the hyped-up, steroid and meth-driven boyfriend, he must become the rock that Whitney has taught him to be.

Bringing Hannah home is only the first step. Injured, depressed, and near suicidal, Hannah believes she deserved what she got. Now Brian must become a different kind of rock—one that Hannah can cling to as she climbs from the stormy seas of her depression.

“I really don’t care much for coming of age stories, which this is. I don’t care much for high school sports, and there is plenty of that. And I don’t care about teenage angst, and there is more than enough of that. On the other hand, I spent an entire day just reading the damned story; the writing is so fluid, the characters so compelling and the sex such a damned fine tease that I couldn’t pull myself away.”

 

El Rancho del Corazón (Living Next Door to Heaven 6)

Cover of El Rancho del Corazon

Hey, kids! My dad has a barn. Let’s put on a show!

Brian Frost, one-time runt geek of the neighborhood, has gathered nearly 40 others into the Clan of the Heart. He has become the protector and leader, or Patrón, of the clan. Casa del Fuego comprises thirteen women and two men. Now, most of them are going to college, many to Indiana University in Bloomington. They have their love, their ambition, and a new home: El Rancho del Corazón. It should be smooth sailing from here on. Right?

Until the ranch house burns down, they are accused of arson, a college pseudo frat decides the ranch is party central, and they have to produce Brian’s cooking show in the barn. Don’t forget college classes, social events, and lovers.

Through it all, the ranch becomes the rallying point for the clan and when they have the opportunity to expand their television production to new shows, everyone is ready to work.

“This story has made me laugh, and cry, and sometimes in the same evening. I almost feel like Brian and his Clan are part of my family. And I most certainly wish they were.”

 

Hearthstone Entertainment (Living Next Door to Heaven 7)

Cover of Hearthstone Entertainment

BANNED BY AMAZON! (Because they didn’t like the cover???)

Hannah has become the driving force of the clan’s video production company, Hearthstone Entertainment. And Elaine is launching her television career with a new talk show, Chick Chat. And guess who the premiere guest will be! Jessica, Brian’s Heaven, his guardian angel, has agreed to take time from her jet-setting model career to help the clan get started. It’s love all over again for Brian, but a rocky road to get Heaven back inside the clan and into their family. Nothing seems to work out right when it comes to getting the two into the position they’d both wanted as long as they could remember.

Hearthstone Entertainment becomes big news when Chick Chat is nominated for an Educational Television Award and the crew goes to Hollywood for a surprise appearance on a late night talk show.

“Very well-written story that has great character building. Also has a lot of examples of real life consequences. Brought me to tears and laughter a number of times.”

 

Becoming the Storm (Living Next Door to Heaven 8)

Cover of Becoming the Storm

A tragedy. A hero. A frightened kid who can't admit his past.

Brian Frost, one-time runt geek of the neighborhood, has gathered over 50 others into the Clan of the Heart. He has become the protector and leader, or Patrón, of the clan. Rose Davis has become Matrón, but it is Hannah Gordon’s driving of Hearthstone Entertainment that has fueled expansion of their television presence. In the wake of their Student Emmy Award, Hannah, Elaine, and Nicki are facing more pressure to ‘go live’ with Chick Chat. Heaven’s Redress is an artistic success, but is not garnering as much audience as they hoped. Of course, Brian continues to tape episodes of Young Cooking.

But tragedy strikes the campus and the clan. In the act of becoming a hero, Brian nearly dies and much of his past—the past he has kept hidden—is exposed. In the midst of PTSD and a perceived threat against his family, can Brian recover his confidence enough to become the storm and bring them safely to the other side? If it weren’t for the enigmatic Dani and her faithfulness, there would be no hope.

“One final word of warning. Like with any story that encompasses this amount of time, it has some people passing away. Prepare to bawl your eyes out at those points, as you will have grown attached to the characters involved.”

 

Heaven's Gate (Living Next Door to Heaven 9)

Cover of Heaven's Gate

Long-delayed dreams finally realized, even in the midst of national tragedy.

Brian Frost, one-time runt geek of the neighborhood, has gathered over 80 others into the Clan of the Heart. He is the protector and leader, or Patrón, of the clan. Rose Davis is Matrón. This part covers seven years with less detail than previous parts. But isn’t that what adult life is like? You have a job. You come home. You take care of the children. You have dinner. You sleep with one or more of your mates. Repeat.

In the wake of the tumultuous events in Book 8: Becoming the Storm, the crew deserves to have a little less stress in their lives. Of course, as they reach their mid- to late 20s, those nasty biological clocks start ticking and there is likely to be a population boom on the ranch. And along with births come the losses that we incur as adults in an adult world. People change. People move away. People die. People are born. People get married. In the long run, it is not about what you believe, but how you live.

And Heaven is beginning to see that she might have a path back to the love she left behind. Is there anything that can actually bring her back to live next door?

“Read it. I mean right goddam now find Book 1 and start. Why are you still reading this? There are better things to read out there!”

 

What Were They Thinking? (Living Next Door to Heaven 10)

Cover of What Were They Thinking?

The parents get together and talk about their kids

This story is neither a sequel, though the prologue would come after the end of the ninth LNDtH book, nor is it a prequel, though chapter one begins long before the beginning of the LNDtH saga. I will call it an ‘equel’, running parallel to the nine books of Living Next Door to Heaven, and with multiple narrators, sometimes running parallel to itself.

“Now look,” my friend said, “you and I both have daughters not long out of their teens. We can read this story and think ‘Where was this when I was in school?’ But if your daughter or my daughter came up to us and said, ‘Yeah, Dad, I’m spending the night at my boyfriend’s house with our ten other girlfriends,’ we’d have said, ‘Oh, no you aren’t!’ and we’d have made it stick if we had to sit at the door with a shotgun. What the hell were those parents thinking?”

And What Were They Thinking? is the result, with parents of the teens sharing the story from their perspective.

“Thank you! Just thank you. I’ve shed more tears for this than for any story here I can remember.”

 
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