Loved this one! I'm such a sucker for email exchanges that turn from random to friendship to maybe something more.
Lily is the youngest of her sister's and is not as successful or outspoken as her sisters so she is set up on dates constantly by her sister and getting pressure to change jobs.
Making a bet that she will find a her own date she asks her cute neighbor for help. He's very familiar but they don't know eachother. This one was so sweet. But there were a lot of family issues they had to overcome to feel like they could start their lives in general and maybe together.
Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This was a cute bookish rom-com between a writer and an editor. Nick,aka Strick, and Lily meet anonymously through email and bond over their love of fantasy books.

I enjoyed the emails they exchanged. It reminded me of You've Got Mail. Lily and Nick started out the story very lacking in self-confidence and I appreciated the character growth over the course of the novel. I liked the peak into the publishing world and the secondary characters.

This book included:a New York City setting
a hidden identity
a slow burn
a sister bond

I recommend adding this to your TBR if you like books about books or one set in New York City. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

The Neighbor Favor is a fresh and flirty story about a shy bookworm's romance with her favorite author. I glued to the pages!

This story is a bit of a slow burn, but it also has some brief open door steam, as well. I liked their love was a slow bloom, and that as their love bloomed, they both came out of their shells. Their relationship is also full of chemistry, and it was so fun to feel that chemistry from them as I read this book. Individually, their characters bring a lot to the table. Lily and shy and reserved, and her experiences with dating are pretty negative. She's also unhappy with her job. I think we can all relate to these experiences!

Enter her sexy neighbor, who also happens to be her much-loved author pen pal! The attraction is real, but Nick has some issues to work through. I LOVE the trope where the friend helps the other friend date while hiding his true feelings. It gives me all the feels because of all the pining!! And this book has some good level pining on both ends.

Overall, I enjoyed the book so much! I related to Lily as a main character, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Star Rating: 4⭐️

This book. OH, MY, GOODNESS THIS BOOK. It has quickly become of of my favorite new romance releases.

The story follows Lily, a book lover who wants to break into the world of children's publishing but is stuck editing everyone's FAVORITE genre, nonfiction (*yawn*), and Nick, an author turned reporter and world traveler. Writing under the pen name N.R. Strickland, Nick is responsible for creating Lily's all-time favorite fantasy novel, one that ended on a cliffhanger that was never continued. One day, dehydrated and stuck on the subway, Lily deliriously emails Nick, and so begins the pair's months-long email correspondence, in which they slowly begin to fall for one another- only for Nick to stop responding with no clear explanation. Cut to months later, when Lily enlists the help of her charming and attractive new neighbor in finding a date to her sister's wedding. Little does she know, however, that Nick is the same man whose words she fell for all those months ago.

I loved everything about this book, from Nick and Lily's adorable emails to their instant connection when they meet in real life. The development of their relationship felt so natural, and I absolutely flew through the book, dying for the pair to give in to the connection that was blossoming between them.

I always enjoy reading Dual POV romances, but there was something about this one that hit different. Nick quickly puts together that Lily is the woman he fell for over email, which makes him even more reluctant to pursue anything with her. His perspective was my absolute favorite to read, because he was utterly head over heels for her, and the angst that came from him trying to help set her up with someone else was *chef's kiss*.

I've seen some reviews saying that Lily acted young for her age, but I felt the exact opposite. Her decisions as a character on the most part felt incredibly mature in a way that I greatly appreciated. She was sunshine personified, as well as happy and carefree, preferring to spend time with her toddler niece at family events than actually socializing, which felt more like a relatable mark of her personality (because who wants to talk to adults when kids are so much more fun?). Lily's family was absolutely everything. The dynamic between her and her sisters, Iris and Violet, was hilarious and relatable (as someone who also has a sister), and I cannot wait for more from both of them (can we talk about how EXCITED I am for Violet's book??).

This book felt like a classic romantic comedy in all the best ways. It gave off some You've Got Mail vibes, but in a unique, and dare i say, better way. This is going to become a book that I reread in the future, and highly encourage all romance lovers to pick up!

The Neighbor Favor begins with Lily finding a website for her favorite author. She takes a chance and emails him, without ever expecting to hear back. After almost a year of emailing back and forth, Lily and Strick have formed a meaningful relationship. All of a sudden, Strick skips out on a video call and Lily doesn’t hear from him again. Lily moves on with her life until the day she sees her new neighbor, Nick. Lily is intrigued by her quiet, cute neighbor and starts to put her email relationship with Strick behind her. As Lily and Nick become closer, she becomes more confident in herself and begins to fall in love. Lily & Nick are great characters and their families and work lives are interesting and fun. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

the neighbor favor has all the elements to make the perfect fluffly romance. lily is a bookworm obsessed with a book written by an elusive author. on a whim, she looks him up online for the 100th time only to see he now has a website with an email address listed. so in the middle of fighting heatstroke she emails him and to her surprise he responds! thus begins months of email exchanges that change the course of their lives.

nick has my heart. i’m such a sucker for soft mmc. i like an alpha, obsessive man is cool but i love me a gentle man who is aware of his insecurities. the ones that are vulnerable when the time comes. the ones who are just as obsessive about their women but in a softer way. idk how else to describe it but i fall for it every time!

i love this book so much. i know for sure it will be a re-read for me. it’s truly the perfect book to read when you want to lay in bed kicking your feet at two people falling in love.

I really loved this romance by Kristina Forest. I liked that the first part of the novel was told entirely in emails as Nick (as Strick) and Lily first stared corresponding and getting to know each other. This had spice & heat, great (and not-so-great) family dynamics, and an adorable romance between two bookworms that I adored!

i liked the premise of this, but the writing didn't work for me. dual POV is great with these kinds of stories, but i felt like the couple's issues were less about growth and more about keeping them apart. i would have liked to see more of the sisters without feeling like their relationship issues were such a huge part of their character.

THE NEIGHBOUR FAVOUR - KRISTINA FOREST
4.5⭐
PLOT - Lily Greene is a shy awkward bookworm coming from an accomplished family.
She wants to be a children's book editor but is stuck as an assistant to am extremely frustrating editor of non fiction division.
On a random subway ride she writes to her fav mysterious fantasy author and it becomes the highlight in her life when he replies and they continue for many months untill he ghosts her without a word.
Now, she needs a date for her sister's wedding and she asks her new neighbour Nick Brown to help her find one but she isn't aware that Nick is her favourite fantasy author.
Nick realises that whatever the reasons for ghosting Lily..he still has feelings for her but will be own up and be there for Lily of return Lily's favour someone for her.

MY THOUGHTS -
I loved the plot and strong structure the email conversation ( epistolary) between the two...the story flew by..
Love books which have books/stories/publishing world as its core..and this has all the 3 and must say it was well done.
The miscommunication troupe was done well along with Nicks backstory combines well with the book.
Lily was little immature at times with her inability to speak up.
Loved lilys sisters Iris, Violet and we do get glimpse of their future stories too and can't wait to read them.
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
🗽 Books set in New York
📚 Books set within the Publishing Industry
🖤 Diverse Romances
💻 Meeting Virtually

Oh my gosh! I truly loved this one! I loved how it starts with Lily and Strick emailing back and forth as Lily finally found a way to connect with the author of a book she loved but hadn’t done well as the publisher folder soon after it was published.

I then loved how the author moved us from emails back to Lily’s POV a year later and getting to see how things have progressed for Lily and her meeting her new neighbor Nick.

I love how this was a slow burn romance with some slight spice added in, but truly was also about the growth of Lily and Nick as individuals as well and facing their demons.

If you are looking for a romance with a lot of heart and character development I highly suggest reading this one, out soon from Berkley Romance! Thank you to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭑
The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest is a slow-burn romance with friends to lovers trope featuring a cute bookworm and a reclusive author.

Story Recap:
Lily Greene has always lived in the shadow of her accomplished family. Her sisters both have powerful jobs, but all Lily wants is to be an editor for children's books and move on from editing nonfiction. Lily finds an escape from the pressures of her family by corresponding with her favorite fantasy writer where they form a bond. Until he suddenly ghosts her, and she doesn’t know why.

Months later, Lily’s sister is getting married and she needs a date for the wedding or else her sisters will fix her up. She asks her handsome neighbor, Nick Brown to help her find a date. She doesn’t know that Nick Brown is the fantasy writer that ghosted her months ago. Soon, Nick realizes that Lily is the same Lily he fell in love with over emails months ago, and he agrees to help her find a date because he’s not available for a relationship.

My Thoughts:
The book starts with several pages of email messages between Lily and Nick, and I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom via email. Then we get to the present, and we learn much more about Lily and Nick. Lily is a strong and compassionate person and she’s my favorite character. I love her relationships with her sisters, it’s not perfect but realistic. It took a bit more to warm up to Nick, he’s a broken man with family issues. But, eventually, I grew to like him and believe he is worthy of Lily’s love.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Neighbor favor to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Swoon! I fell in love with Forest’s romance stories after reading Zyla and Kai last summer so I was especially excited when I saw she was writing her first adult romance novel! And it didn’t disappoint!

This You’ve Got Mail style second chance romance was the perfect love story for any book lover! You’ve got a love between an author and someone working in publishing! Not to mention a love between an author and a fan. I really loved the idea that they were neighbors since I fell in love and married my boy next door!

As much as I loved the steamy slow burn romance between Nick and Lily, I really loved many of the side characters. I loved Lily’s sisters and the sisterly bond between them. And the positive people in Nick’s life, from his best friend and agent Marcus to his neighbors who are caught in their own love story!

Lastly, I love the idea of Nick writing Black Fantasy novels, a genre that deserves more attention and praise!

If you’re a lover of books this is the perfect romance story! I saw a peek of what Forest has in the works for an upcoming book, and I am ecstatic!!

While delirious from heat, Lily shoots off an email to her favorite fantasy book author and is surprised when he responds. They two correspond for months, discussing their love for books and their lives. Lily is convinced that there might be something real between her and the author until he leaves her heartbroken by ghosting her. Lily is determined to move on with her life, convincing her new hottie neighbor, Nick, to help her find a date for her sister's wedding. What Lily doesn't know is that Nick and the author she emailed with are one and the same.

Building chemistry between two characters via email exchanges is not easy but Kristina Forest did a really good job with this one. Lily and Nick's emails were sweet and heartwarming and it was easy to see why they were beginning to feel something for one another even though they had never met before. I liked that Forest kept the storyline moving through their emails as they shared with each other what was going on in their lives.

I couldn't wait to see how they would react to one another when they finally met in person. Even though they didn't know that they were Lily and "Strick" from the emails, there was an inexplicable draw towards one another. I loved their electric chemistry from their first kiss and I was disappointed when the kiss ended. I wanted more for them so badly! But they had to go through a circuitous journey to their HEA because of their complicated history and circumstances.

This is the first Kristina Forest book that I've read and I am impressed! I haven't read her other novels before because I don't read a lot of YA, but she has seamlessly made a transition into adult romance. I look forward to reading more of her work!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: addiction, infidelity (not between the main characters), mention of a fatal car accident

The Neighbor Favor is a delightful romcom with charming characters. Kristina Forest puts her own creative twists on a “I didn’t know you were my pen pal confidant” plot to create a satisfying, modern romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lily is having a rotten day when she impulsively emails the reclusive author of her favorite fantasy book. She’s stunned when he actually responds. Nick wrote one book under a pseudonym a few years ago, but now works as a travel writer. He is drawn to Lily’s message, and the two begin a regular correspondence where they share their innermost feelings. Once they decide to video chat, though, Nick ghosts her and Lily is devastated. Months later, she runs into her gorgeous new neighbor and starts a tentative friendship. Nick seems really familiar…after a few clues, Nick realizes that Lily is his pen pal. But how can he admit it to her? Especially when they are clearly attracted to each other?

The epistolary beginning to this book is a great way to get to know all these characters. Lily and Nick are both genuinely nice people who sometimes have a tough time connecting to others. I felt for awkward Lily, who just wants someone to like her for herself, and for Nick, who doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. This book is a natural slow burn, as these two navigate their feelings and gradually work up the self confidence to be vulnerable with each other in person.

Another wonderful part of this story is Lily’s complex relationship with her family, especially her sisters, and their definitions of Black excellence. All three women are completely different and strong in their own ways, all while supporting each other. And anytime I read a book with three sisters, I’m always excited when it looks like we’ll eventually get everyone’s story.

The Neighbor Favor is a delightful romance. I loved all the three dimensional characters, especially Lily and Nick. Aside from being slightly shy and awkward people, it’s their innate kindness and chemistry that make this story a pleasure to read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read this if you like: Dual POV, emails, neighbors, miscommunication trope, You've got mail vibes

This was so cute! I love the concept. It reminds me of You've Got Mail. The email format was great but a bit long. Still, it quickly pulled me into the story. The book, in general, was too long. It could have lost a hundred pages and the flow would have been better. I loved the characters. They were developed perfectly. Lily's sisters are great. I would love for them to have books. I highly recommend this!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley for the gifted e-book ❤️

What a sweet and delightful novel. The brightness and cheer with this cover caught my attention but the emails and relationship building kept me reading. This was a wonderful novel about a woman who works in publishing while she communicates with her favorite author...who she will end up meeting. This reminded me so much of You've Got Mail and it made me chuckle and smile reading the emails between the two characters. The slow burn in this one made it lag a bit and felt too long, but overall this was a fun romance for the spring.

Don't we all wish we could move somewhere and have a neighbor like Nick?

I really liked these characters and the author's writing style. I think the author did a fantastic job of endearing not just our main couple to us, but also all the side character who were also a lot of fun!

I will definitely be coming back for the next book in this series which follows Lily's sister, Violet. I loved her character here and can't wait to read her story next!

This book had lots of things going for it that I love to see in my romcoms: romance between people of color, email exchanges setting up the stage, a book about books (the main character works in publishing, her love interest is an author and they both are big readers). I always love some family drama and I especially liked the contrast between the two different families here. Because of these things my attention was immediately caught.

But there were a few things I didn’t love: the mc behaved very young for her age, the love interest had way too much baggage, and it took way too long for the romance to actually happen.

I found this to be a great palate cleanser between heavier books and it held my attention throughout. Overall this was a cute read that I’m sure true romcom fans will enjoy.

This was an engaging story with likeable main characters. I liked seeing the characters grow over the course of the book.

This was cute; I really enjoyed the slow burn. It is a charming slow-burn light on the spice that was a super easy read. Nick and Lily had the sweetest chemistry, and I love the way just having each other in their lives encouraged both characters to grow and be better.
I would recommend this book if you like cute slow-burn romances.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publish Group for this Arc.