Thank you to netgalley and Harlequin for access to this arc.

I like that things aren’t smooth sailing and Cam and Meredith have to learn when each is joking.There are moments of irritation – lawnmowers at 8 am on Sunday morning, a cat swiping her claws at a dog who gets too nosey. And neither one is looking for romance. Well, of course not, this is a romance book after all.

Cam’s past was a bit hard to believe and I wonder just how much of a secret it could be in his family’s rarified wealthy circles. Cam’s also a bit of a reverse snob but given said family I could understand. The town does get a little prying at times but it’s all done in love and isn’t annoying. I think I see possibilities for future characters to get books and actually hope this turns out to be true.

The conflicts are believable for Cam and Meredith who both act maturely. Meredith has to think of her daughter and Cam soon begins to figure Sophie’s needs and feelings into his actions, too. Plus there’s Elinor the cat. Elinor (Cam was delighted to be able to discover and tell Sophie that the cat is named for a book character) comes and goes as she pleases and basically acts like a real cat. I should know. Soon Cam, who’s never had a pet in his life, is thinking about Elinor’s needs as well. And drinking his morning coffee from a pink cat mug.

More than Neighbors by Shannon Stacey  </i></b></span>is the first book in the delightful new Blackberry Bay series. It was beautifully written and a wonderful book to read if you love series with small towns. The storyline was realistic, and the characters were believable. It was so easy to connect with the characters and to feel their every emotion. The main characters were perfect for each other and I loved seeing Cam’s affection for Sophie growing. He wasn’t used to being around children but his kindness to Sophie showed what a big heart he had. Meredith’s warmth and loving family were unknown to Cam, but he was able to learn and grow into a better person.

Cam Maguire inherited a cottage in Blackberry Bay from Carolina Archambault, his unknown paternal grandmother. He evades his parents and decides to spend the summer there working long distance and looking for answers to his past. He never knew who his biological father was, so he had a lot of questions. As he reads through Carolina’s journals, he comes to admire her and the love she had for life. The small town of Blackberry Bay started to grow on him, but he knows his life is in New York City working for Maguire family businesses. Meeting Meredith and Sophie makes him realize how cold and distant his childhood was. Discovering the life Carolina lead and spending time with Meredith and Sophie had him craving a life with a loving family, but his parents kept pressuring him to return to New York City. Uncertain of Meredith’s feelings and thinking she only wanted a summer fling; he plans on selling the cottage and he returns to the city only to be miserable with the life he returned to.

Hoping to build a new life, widowed Meredith Price has moved back to her hometown, Blackberry Bay, with her daughter Sophie. Meredith hopes that living near her parents and making new friends will help Sophie come out of the shell she has withdrawn into after losing her father. After being widowed for two years, she never expected to be attracted to the next-door neighbor. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for another man in her life even a temporary one. She tries to keep him at a distance, so she and Sophie won’t get hurt when he leaves town, but she is drawn towards him. They avoid talking about their feelings, but he has become a part of their daily life and she keeps hoping he will choose to stay in Blackberry Bay. When he leaves and returns to the city, she is heartbroken but tries to be cheerful for Sophies' sake.

This was a wonderful book and I fell in love with Blackberry Bay and the people in the town. This book does an excellent job showing the warmth, kindness, and generosity of people in small towns. It leads us into the next book in the series and I can’t wait for it!

More than Neighbors, the first book in the Blackberry Bay series,  is a supremely sweet romance. I mean, how can you not love a book with an adorable bookworm kid, a snarky cat and his equally snarky new owner?

Widow Meredith Price moves back to Blackberry Bay, New Hampshire with her six year old daughter Sophie and their dog Oscar, so that they can be near Meredith's parents and try to continue healing after her husband passes. When they arrive, they meet their new neighbor, Cam Maguire. Cam has reluctantly found himself in Blackberry after the grandmother he never knew, dies and leaves him her house and her contemptuous cat, Elinor. While Meredith and Sophie try to find their place in their new home, Cam struggles to find out the secrets of the family he never knew, all while dodging his parents and their expectations for him.

Little Sophie is not shy when it comes to Cam or his cat and slowly worms her way into his life and heart and he and Meredith begin a reluctant friendship that leads to developing feelings between the two. But Cam's plan was never to stay and Meredith's heart can't take another loss.

“Hugging is nice,” he said so quietly it was almost a whisper.
“Yes, it is. And hugs are important, too. Humans need hugs sometimes.”
“Kissing is also nice.”
She laughed, the sound partially muffled by his suit coat. “So are cupcakes, but you don’t have any of those, either.”
“If you had to choose between kissing or cupcakes, which would you choose?”
“I guess it would depend on who I’m kissing. And also what kind of cupcake.”

I loved this book so much. It's such a sweet and funny, slow burn romance. Meredith and Cam are both reluctant to get into a relationship for their own reasons but can't stop the pull between them. You can literally feel the heat emanating between these two. Sophie is such a delight. Sweet and charming, a little bookworm who was desperate to find a library when she gets into town. It's so cute when she realizes Cam doesn't have a library card and insists that he get one. He's so enamored by her and the feeling is mutual. Elinor and Oscar add their own dynamic as Elinor has lots of personality and likes to bully Oscar. And I loved how Cam gets to know his grandmother thru her old journals. It's just so poignant.

Honestly, if I have't said it enough, it's really sweet, great pacing, irresistible characters and an unforgettable story. I can't wait to read more in the series. 4.5 Stars.

This book is really soft sweet romance. Meredith moves to her the small lake town that she grew up in with her daughter a few years after her husband passed. Next door neighbor, Cam, is an attractive businessman who has learned that the man he knew as his father wasn't his biological father. He found this out when he received his paternal grandmother's lakefront cabin. The two obviously hit it off.
The book was really sweet, which is partially due to the fact that there isn't really much conflict. He's supposed to be moving back home at the end of summer, and she doesn't want to bring a new man into her daughter's life without some understanding of permanence. Which are both completely valid things. The book kind of plods along and gets wrapped up with a little bow.
I would have appreciate a little more conflict and interactions with characters outside of the main three. There's also a cat acting very non-cat like for reasons. Overall this is a sweet read, and probably perfect when you're sitting on a dock, the beach, or a pool.

First in a new series. Cam Maquire is a rich power house business man. He shows up next door the new resident in town Meredith Price. Meredith is a window with a young child. Meredith if finally feeling good about where she is after the death of her husband a few earlier. She's back in her hometown near family. Cam is just temporarily in town to empty out the home of his grandmother he never knew. The birth dad he also never knew about. It's a lot for anyone to deal with but Meredith and her young daughter Sophie help him realize what he should appreciate in life and it isn't the corporate world. This is a enjoyable pleasant read if you just want to get lost in a book that isn't to complicated. I enjoyed all the characters but wish Cam would've had a friend to confide in and hash things out with. His parents were rather cold and there's no mention of having any friends. Over all though it was a good read.



Find out more about Shannon Stacey and this series here www.shannonstacey.com

This was such a feel-good summer-lovin' read! It wasn't overly thought-provoking, but it was engaging and sweet and exactly the type of novel you want to curl up on a hammock with or read while dipping your feet off the end of a pier. The tug-and-pull of a budding attraction balanced with family responsibilities, a grumpy cat, a curious dog, a spritely child, and pasts that can't help influence the future, set in a beautiful coastal community, all come together for an enjoyable lighthearted but emotionally engaging read.

Single mother Meredith moved back to her home town with her daughter and dog. She never expected Cam and what seems like a non-exsistant property line since there seems to be a confusion. Cam is only sticking around to learn more about his family past secrets and then he'll be back in the city.

I'm getting similar vibes with this book from another I red recently just the opposite where the women is from the city and the guy is a hometown boy. Anyways with that being said I found this book still enjoyable getting see the couple interact, the pet problems and seeing how very family like they were. Then there was the reasoning as to why cam was there in the first place to learn more about his father sides of the family by living in his late grandmothers house and finding out about her though her house and journals and it was interesting seeing that. If you are looking for a cute contemporary romance you'll enjoy this book I know I did.

I read this book in one afternoon. I liked the story and the characters. predictable like most romance but it is a light quick read and that is just what I needed.

Meredith and her daughter Sophie move to Blackberry Bay, NH, to make a new start after the tragic death of her husband two years prior. Although she grew up in the small town and her parents live near, she’s lived in California ever since she left for college. She quickly warms to their new home and enjoys reconnecting with old friends, although the handsome stranger living next door is a distraction.

Cam Maguire comes from a high-society family of movers and shakers, but he is disillusioned with his parents and his family work. He was adopted by his father after his mother had a brief fling while they were split up. He never knew his birth family, but his birth father’s mother bequeathed her cabin and its contents, along with her cat, to Cam. Now he’s lying to his parents – saying his summering with a girlfriend and her family while working remotely – and is exploring his roots.

More than Neighbors is a sweet romance. Meredith gets a second chance at love, and Cam learns about the family he never knew and what is truly important in his life. They both feel an immediate attraction to each other – something that startles Meredith as it’s the first time she’s felt any sexual heat since her husband passed. She’s reluctant to start anything because Cam’s only there for the summer, and Meredith has a daughter to consider. But after a while, and when her daughter is away, Meredith decides to go for it, and the pair start a summer fling. However, it feels like more because Cam spends a lot of time with Meredith and her daughter, as well as her parents. They are like a ready-made family.

Cam struggles with his identity and place in the world, giving the story a bit of grit and creating bumps along the way. “Michael Archambault might be his biological father, but he was a Maguire. And a Maguire wouldn’t protect an old pink cottage because a woman he’d never met had loved it.” (Loc 770, 33% Kindle) I like how he looks to find answers and more about his biological family through Caroline’s journals and home.

More than Neighbors gives readers a tender and fun, slow-burn, low-heat romance that still has all the feels. It’s about finding unexpected love and learning what is important in life. And that It’s never too late to find happiness.

My Rating: B, Liked It

Cam Maguire has a high-powered job in New York City, working for his father. He’s the only son in a long line of Maguires and is spending the summer in Blackberry Bay, New Hampshire, settling the estate of his recently deceased grandmother (there’s much more to that story). Meredith Price is the widowed mother of 6-year old Sophie who’s returning from San Diego to the hometown she left after high school. Her husband died two years ago and she’s decided to move closer to her parents and create a new life for herself. She buys the house next door to Cam’s grandmother’s whimsical cottage and his hammock becomes the link to the neighbors. What begins as a few casual encounters leads to something more.

Sometimes you just want a story that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I was hoping this would be it. Fortunately, my instincts were dead on because aside from Cam and Meredith, there’s a fur ball dog named Oscar, a cranky cat called Elinor and the precocious but adorable Sophie. There aren’t any big dramatic moments, just lots of heartwarming ones as two really nice people come together naturally through odd circumstances. Cam is grappling with family issues and Meredith is recreating herself after having lived one designed around her late husband.

It also doesn’t hurt that Cam has a wicked sense of humor, which works well with Sophie and the pets. I was left with all those good feelings I was searching for as Meredith not only slowly opens her bruised heart but reacquaints herself with old friends from high school. I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to returning to Blackberry Bay.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion by Netgalley.
Shannon Stacey put out a beautiful romance about coming to terms with your heritage and about moving on after loss. This booking was touching and heartfelt. It felt like the author experienced these exact feelings. Definitely a must read for romance lovers.

3.75 stars—MORE THAN NEIGHBORS is the first instalment in Shannon Stacey’s contemporary, adult BLACKBERRY BAY romance series. This is single mother/widow Meredith Price, and businessman Calvin ‘Cam’ Maguire’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Cam and Meredith) MORE THAN NEIGHBORS follows the acrimonious relationship between single mother/widow Meredith Price, and businessman Calvin ‘Cam’ Maguire’. Approximately two years earlier Meredith Price’s husband died leaving her a widow and single mother to four year old Sophie. With no reason to remain in California, Meredith packed their bags, and along with her daughter returned to her home town of Blackberry Bay, New Hampshire where she will come face to face with her new neighbor Cam Maguire. Meredith had no idea her neighbor Carolina had passed away leaving her estate to her grandson Cam Maguire but Cam is a stranger to Blackberry Bay, a stranger who is searching for his roots in his grandmother’s home. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Cam and Meredith, and the fall-out as Cam’s time in Blackberry Bay comes to a close.

Cam Maguire lives in New York, working for his father’s firm but struggles to find his place in the family. With the passing of his paternal grandmother, a woman Cam never knew, our hero found himself in Blackberry Bay searching for the truth about his family history. Meredith Price had hoped her move to Blackberry Bay came with the peace and solitude she was hoping to preserve but Meredith and Cam butted heads from the beginning, a friction that barely veiled a palpable sexual attraction that Meredith struggled to accept or ignore. The $ex scenes are passionate but mostly implied.

We are introduced to Meredith’s daughter Sophie, a smart child who is immediately taken with Cam Maguire, as well as Meredith’s parents Neal and Erin Lane, her high school friend Reyna, Carolina’s friend Tess Weaver, and Cam’s parents Melissa and Calvin Maguire.

MORE THAN NEIGHBORS is a story of love, loss and second chances; a story of family, friendships, and moving forward. The premise is captivating; the romance is sweet and spicy; the characters are independent, colorful, and energetic.



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I seriously love it when I receive blog requests from Harlequin. I know that the books I pick ( I am fairly choosy nowadays with my book choices. I don’t have time for books I know don’t sound like something I would read) will lead to new authors that have to add to my ever-growing list of authors to read. When I first started to read romance I have two authors that I read. Now I have a list of at least 20 or more.

Meredith is moving back to her childhood home town after her husband died two short years ago. In tow is her 6-year-old daughter Sophie. Meredith hopes this will be a good thing for her daughter who has withdrawn into a shell since her Dad died. What she didn’t count on was a cute neighbor who couldn’t control his grandmother’s cat. First of all you guys… I literally read this book in two nights. I stayed up waaayyyyy to late (cough cough 130am ) to read this book. The author made me laugh and giggle the whole way. Meredith is a widow but that doesn’t mean she is wallowing in sadness. She is full of life and her daughter comes first. The author also made her well aware of the fact that her neighbor was smoking hot and awakened feelings within her that had been dormant to two long years.

While this book is a romance. It isn’t over the top hot and steamy. She only wrote one love scene and it was over pretty quick and left me laughing with what happened. The rest are stolen kiss since she didn’t want to confuse her daughter. I loved her meddling mother. She knew that there was something going on between them and kept finding ways to get them together. She knew that her daughter had suffered but also knew that it was time for her to find someone else. I will definitely be finding more books by this author and also waiting patiently for the next book in this series to come out. I hope that it is about Meredith’s friend, Reyna. I found her character to be intriguing. I also hope we find out what else happens with Meredith, Sophie, and Cam.

Contemporary romance favorite Shannon Stacey makes her Harlequin Special Edition debut with More Than Neighbors, a charming, funny and poignant tale that is impossible to resist.

After her husband’s death in a tragic car accident two years ago, widowed Meredith Price’s heartbreak was further compounded when her bubbly daughter Sophie became even more withdrawn. Wanting her daughter to grow up close to her grandparents, Meredith made the decision to move to the small town of Blackberry Bay, where she hopes for a fresh start away from the devastating memories that have haunted her since her husband’s death. Meredith hopes that a move will help her to figure out what she is going to do next. Romance is certainly not on the cards for her – even if she has moved next door to a charming, funny and devastatingly attractive man, Cam Maguire.

Finding out that the grandmother he never knew left him her cottage in quaint Blackberry Bay has made Cam determined to find out more about a side of his family he never knew anything about. Cam hopes that by living in his grandmother’s cottage he can get close to uncovering the secrets of the past. He certainly never imagined that he would find himself attracted to his new neighbor and although he usually gives romance as wide a berth as possible, fate seems to be conspiring to push the two of them together again and again…

Cam and Meredith couldn’t be more different, but the more time the two of them spend in one another’s company, the more their feelings for one another intensify. Will they continue to allow their fears and past experiences to dictate their future? Or will an old family secret of Cam’s threaten to destroy any chance they might have of spending the rest of their lives together?

A witty, warm-hearted and emotional tale written with all the magic and charm which have become Shannon Stacey’s hallmarks, More Than Neighbors is a wonderful tale of healing, new beginnings and fresh starts that will make readers laugh and cry.

Cam and Meredith were two amazing characters it is impossible not to care about. Their love story is moving, dramatic, funny and one which will keep you engrossed from start to finish.

Shannon Stacey’s More Than Neighbors is a wonderful read and I cannot wait for further instalments in the Blackberry Bay series!

I was happy to take part in the Harlequin tour of this fun summer read about a woman finding her new life after the death of her husband and her relationship with her neighbor.

If you like a little romance and a happy ending, along with some memorable and fun characters and pets, this would be a good choice for you! (note: this book does contain sexual content but it wasn’t graphic).

To be perfectly honest, I would not have chosen this book based on the cover. It reminds me of something I would have read in high school, but I did really like this story and the characters!

After the death of her husband a few years ago, Meredith Price is ready to start a new life with her young daughter and their dog. She moves back to her hometown of Blackberry Bay, New Hampshire. She’s hoping the move will help bring her daughter out of her shell and make new friends.

Cam Maguire inherits the house next door. He doesn’t plan to stay very long. He’s only there for the summer, but when he discovers a dark family secret, his plans drastically change.

Meredith is not ready to start a new relationship with anyone at the moment. Her loss is still too deep, but she can’t help feeling a closeness to Cam. It doesn’t help that her daughter is totally enchanted with him. Meredith is sure this isn’t going to work out, especially since he has a cat and she has a dog. The signs are all there that they should just remain friends, but there’s something pulling them closer all the time.

This is the first book in a new series and I absolutely adored this book. It’s an emotionally charged, sweet romance with realistic characters. The author completely transported me into Meredith and Cam’s world.

The chemistry between Meredith and Cam is apparent from the start, even if they didn’t notice. Meredith’s six year old daughter completely won me over, especially her love of books. The romance moves at a steady pace - it’s not rushed and it’s not too slow. It builds throughout the book which makes it more realistic. Meredith and Cam actually talk to each other, which I sometimes find lacking in romance books.

The supporting cast of characters adds a nice dimension to the story which helps to bring Blueberry Bay alive. I know I felt like I was right there with Meredith and Cam.

More Than Neighbors is a warm, “feel good” book. I actually had tears in my eyes when I got to the last page. I hated leaving these characters. I’m so looking forward to more in this series.

This is the first book I read by Shannon Stacey and I’m already working to build up my collection of her backlist. She’s now a “must read” author for me after only reading one book. Anything that can make me smile is a true winner in my eyes.

Title: More Than Neighbors
Author: Shannon Stacey
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

The only thing they have in common is a property line! Cam Maguire is in Blackberry Bay to unravel a family secret. Meredith Price has moved next door with her daughter. He’s unattached. She’s a widowed single mom. He’s owned by a cat. She’s definitely team canine. All these neighbors have in common is a property line. One they cross…over and over. And Cam thought he knew what he wanted—until his family’s secret changes
everything.

My favorite parts of this novel were actually the cat and how he ruled everything—including his owner. As a cat owner/manager/servant, I can verify that those bits were pretty accurate. Cam and his introduction to the “real” word (the one where you can’t just get food delivered at two in the morning) made me laugh several times. I did not care for his family and their controlling ways. Meredith and her daughter were an enjoyable pair, and I found this an easy, quick read.

Shannon Stacey is a bestselling author. More Than Neighbors is her newest novel, the first in the Blackberry Bay series.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

MORE THAN NEIGHBORS is the first book in the BLACKBERRY BAY series, and it held my interest from the first page to the last. Set during the summer in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting is vividly portrayed. A contemporary romance that has family and friends, a cute six-year-old, a dog, and a cat who bullies the dog, MORE THAN NEIGHBORS also has the flavor of the small town that shines through.

Cam is living in the quirky cottage next door for the summer, cleaning it out to put it up for sale. It was left to him by the grandmother he never knew, and it’s been difficult for him. His parents aren’t the most loving, and he works with his dad in New York City in a high pressured job (but is working remotely while he gets everything in order.) He also inherited his grandmother’s cat, who is a character in itself!

Meredith and her six-year-old daughter traveled cross country from California to New Hampshire to the small town Meredith grew up in to call home. Her husband died two years before, and she wants her daughter to know her grandparents better.

There are a lot of heartwarming moments in this story. Meredith reconnects with old friends but has an immediate connection with Cam, as does her daughter.

The story has a nice flow but did have a few choppy spots—like a thought wasn’t completed or it segued into a moment that was too far ahead. The story offers nice closure and a charming romance. The cover is spot on. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Ms. Stacey is a new-to-me author. If this is her caliber of writing, I will be back for more!

More Than Neighbors is just what the doctor ordered during the crazy times we live in. It's a small town, feel-good romance that wonderfully blends sweet romance, witty banter, and low angst. I suppose Cam and Meredith's love story could be thought of as enemies to lovers, but these two don't really feel like enemies to me. They push each other's buttons certainly, but that just makes for some snarky fun between them as they make their way to becoming something more. After all, attraction and anger are just different kinds of passion, which leaves the door open for love. I love that it's not all about the couple, much as I enjoyed them. We also get Meredith's daughter and even their pets as they grow into a family. This is my first read by Shannon Stacey, and as the beginning of a series, it's a good place to start. I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

Meredith Price has bought a cottage by the water to start her new life with her daughter, after her husband's death. She starts clashing with the neighbor Cam Maguire and tells him she is putting up a fence. He is loud in the mornings, to early for her, and a cat that scares her dog.
He is living next door to what was his grandmother's house, who he never knew and is unraveling family secrets. Meredith's daughter takes to him right away and her parents have a gleam in their eyes when they meet Cam. Hoping that something will come about between the 2 of them.
Cam has taken a break from his family business,which they are wealthy, and he really is so different from his mom and dad.
I liked how these 2 bantered back and forth with each other and were sarcastic.
Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC to review.