Off the cusp of finishing a steamy book by Lauren Blakely, Sophie Sullivan takes me to the opposite end of the spectrum with a wholesome, fun, heartwarming enemies to lovers (with a splash of grumpy vs sunshine) tale about two neighbors so much alike, they can’t help but fall in love.
How to Love Your Neighbor follows the life of Grace Travis, an interior design student/dog walker/barista/impromptu home health care aid (think Jennifer Lopez in Monster-in Law) that has inherited her grandparents’ home. A natural people pleasure, Grace has put off moving into her new house until she finally decides Morty (her surrogate grandfather) will be just fine on his own. The problem is, Grace have left the house unattended for so long that her neighbor Noah Jansen believes it is abandoned. Having eyed the uninhabited lot next to him, he has envisioned expanding his property and building a pool, reclaiming some of this favorite memories from his childhood.
Trouble arises when Noah, who is used to getting his way as a shark-type real estate developer and negotiator, is faced with someone who believes in the sentimental value rather than dollar signs. Not wanting to take “no” for an answer, Noah is determined to persuade Grace to sell her property, not realizing he has finally found a worthy adversary. Noah is in over his head as nothing is life has prepared him for what’s about to happen when he goes toe to toe with Grace.
This is truly a slow-burn romance. I felt as if the book moved at the exact pace of the relationship. For this reason, it did feel a little drawn out, losing my attention at moments but quickly bringing it back with a witty comment or an “aww”-type heart clinching sentiment. Sophie does an phenomenal job providing the reader with a full glimpse into the minds of the main characters; however, I did feel like some storylines were introduced but then abandoned or haphazardly concluded.
While the story between Grace and Noah was lighthearted and gave the reader the “warm and fuzzies”, the deeper, character developing arcs that may have been created to give the characters more range and emotional growth, were a little shortchanged – creating a void of what-ifs, what happened, and what could have been instead of resolutions and conclusions.
This book is perfect for someone who doesn’t want the gut wrenching suspense or heart splaying, emotional drain of some romantic comedies or the steamy/lust field scenes of others. How to Love Your Neighbor is great for anyway who wants to keep it light and just needs a reminder that anything is possible, there is someone for everyone, and friendship is what makes the world go round.