Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Love at First.

I was super excited to be accepted by NetGalley to read and review Love at First that releases on February 23, 2021. After hearing so many good things about Kate Clayborn's novels, I was excited to have my first experience reading her work. This is a cozy, heartwarming read. With an enemies to lovers troupe backed up by a stellar cast of secondary characters, there is something for everyone here. A really sweet read that I was always eager to cuddle up with.

Kate Clayborn is such a beautiful writer, she could probably make a shopping list read poetic. Thankfully, however, Love at First is so much more interesting than a shopping list. As a reader, I felt almost like a part of the apartment complex Nora called home and I adored Will from the very first scene when he was a teenager falling in love with the sound of Nora's laugh. His backstory was heartbreaking, and this book could have gotten depressing but it was so well-balanced with humor and steamy moments that it never did. This was only my second book by the author, following Love Lettering, but I already have a book from her backlist on my Kindle. She's amazing and I'm a fan!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love at First was all kinds of cute and adorable. In it, you will meet Nora and Will. Now these two met two times in their life. Once, when they were both around 16 years old but it was way too dark out in order to make them see it was actually them or not. The second time around? Well, they were a bit older and are sort of rivals.

I wouldn't necessarily put this under enemies to lovers kind of romance. More like a second chance at romance since he claimed to have fallen for a girl at first laugh. Sounds kind of romantic and I was there for it all. These two had really cute chemistry but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I just wanted to get through the little drama that I knew was coming my way because I wanted them to work everything out and be cute all over again.

It happened and I enjoyed every second of it. The ending was just really cute and put a smile on my face as well. Plus, this book was really easy to devour - so I can't wait for my next book by Kate!

Love at Firsr is a sigh worthy read. Will was a gawky 15myear old when he spotted Nora on a balcony. He fell for her at that moment amd she was completely unaware. Sixteen years later he’s back at the same building, ready to claim her for his own. I liked the Che us try between the two plus the cacaphony of tenants added into,the mix. The best scene was toward the last part of the book when Will re-enacts a very important scene from the past. I loved the input from others while it was happening. This read will reinvigorate the belief that love can occur swiftly and can endure.

3.5 stars

Love at first is a romance between Nora, a young woman who considers her neighbors like her family. They all know each other and do not like a change of habits. And that change comes in the form of Will, a nephew who recently inherited his uncle's apartment. The only time he met his uncle was when his mother came to talk to him when Will was a teenager. Back then, he saw a girl he still hasn't forgotten... He left before saying hello to her but years later, he'll be able to have a proper meet cute with that same girl.

Overall, this was a pretty cute and light romance with some funny moments. I really liked the characters and it was sweet to see them interacting with each other. While I don't believe it will have a long-lasting impact in my memory, this was still enjoyable in the moment :)

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I was a huge fan of Clayborn's "Love Lettering" in early 2020, and although "Love at First" doesn't entirely capture that same magic, it's still a warm and witty romance that touched my heart. The story centers on Nora, a long-time resident of a quirky apartment complex, and Will, the cynical nephew who inherits an apartment from his estranged uncle. Will's family history is particularly painful, so he wants to sell off or rent out his inheritance and get out as soon as possible - which Nora and her neighbors most definitely do not want. Thus begins a funny and, occasionally, heartbreaking back-and-forth as both Will and Nora learn to navigate painful pasts and discover that neither of them has the full story.

We all know that a romance rises and falls on the chemistry of its leads, and, in this, Clayborn definitely succeeds. There's just enough of the "sunshine girl/cranky guy" trope to be pleasing, but it fortunately doesn't devolve into dull stereotypes - no manic pixie dream girl here! The supporting cast is a little more standard-issue: their neighbors are charming and fun, but not always memorable; the most intriguing member of the supporting cast is Will's doctor colleague who's, amusingly, both very blunt and very reserved. The pace of the book is just a tiny bit on the slow side, but it remains a sweet tale that deals with real, significant emotions, making it a definite repeat read!

My heart feels so full!

This book has a little bit of so many wonderful things, all mixed together for the sweetest, gentlest love story. There's a little love at first sight, enemies to lovers, and second chance romance. A few low key hi-jinx as well to spice things up, but nothing was too overpowering.

Even more than a love story, it's a story of personal journeys through grief, loss, negligence, disappointment, and loneliness. Nothing is too heavy handed, and it casts such an interesting perspective on finding and trusting love after growing up learning something less than ideal.

The friendships are also SO heartwarming! Tender, sassy, honest, and realistic - they all bring something so different to the story and I love the diversity of the characters. Especially Gerry ;)

4.5 rounded up! I'll be recommending this to everyone!

Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My heart is so incredibly full and happy after reading this book! My goodness, Kate Clayborn has really set the bar high for romance reads of 2021! It's not even the New Year yet, and I already feel that Nora and Will will be one my favorite book couples of 2021.

I read Kate Clayborn's previous book, Love Lettering, and while I liked it, it missed the emotional punch for me...although now I'm questioning if I just wasn't paying attention, because wow did Love at First PUNCH me straight in the feels. Will and Nora's story, from beginning to ending, was just so sweet and hopeful and perfect.

It wasn't just Nora and Will I fell for, though, I also fell in love with Will's curmudgeoney old boss, Nora's incredible and lovable fellow building residents; each and every character was so well thought out and written in a way they came to life.

I'd highly recommend this book to fans of Beth O'Leary's, or really any reader who loves a romance filled with all the feelings. 5/5 stars...I've actually already read it twice, I loved it so much!

SO many thanks to the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kate Clayborn’s Love Lettering was the first of hers that I have read and I loved it, so I thought, of course I’m also going to love her next one. Again, Kate Clayborn...........I love you!! This book gave me all the feels. And being of Italian heritage myself, I found myself relating to Nora in so many ways. Kate's books give your heart, soul and entire being happiness as you keep reading. I was so very lucky to receive an ARC of one of my most anticipated 2021 romances.

I fell in love with Nora and Will a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. It was a sweet, fun quick read and I really enjoyed it. The story was cute snd I was invested in the characters. Thanks again to NetGalley foe the chance to read and review this book.

3.5 stars

This story has a bit of everything, its funny and witty and it has its times for drama and angst and romance and everything really; I just wish the main characters weren't so... normal? For starters I didn't like Nora in the beginning and that's a major conflict for me. I did ended up liking her but it took a while and I think that's why I didn't fully enjoy the book.
Overall is a good enjoyable book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

It took a bit for me to warm up to the main characters but once I did I was cheering them on. I loved the quirky neighbors and friends (hello, Gerald!) and the condo building setting that created its own family. With themes of loss, trust and finding the courage to take a risk with a future never imagined this was a gem of a story. My second to read by the author and I look forward to my next chance!

After reading and really enjoying Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn earlier this year (I think this year? who even knows), I leapt at the chance to read her newest release. Love at First is a mild-mannered enemies-to-lovers about what happens when Will Sterling moves into Nora Clarke's apartment building and jeopardizes her found family.

This one was sweet - Nora and Will are a little star-crossed and have a great backdrop of secondary characters. For me it was good but not great, and a big part of that was the lack of conflict. They each have baggage that's holding them back, but it didn't seem like enough to really build any tension.

Still, a solid pick if you need something comfortable and gentle to curl up with. I'll definitely keep reading more of Clayborn's romances - I really like her style and writing, even if this one wasn't a perfect fit for me.

I was captivated by the characters in this book from start to finish. They are so well written that I can almost imagine that I've met them. One can feel teenage Will's wonder when he sees Nora for the first time and actually rubs his chest to ease his hiccuping heart. Years later, when they meet again, the magic is still there even though they have to overcome some obstacles. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

What a lovely, romantic story! I enjoyed watching the events unfold to a satisfying conclusion. The author does a wonderful job describing the various characters and situations and makes both leads appealing both in appearance, depth and character. Just enough tension to keep things believable and keeps the story moving along nicely.

4.5 STARS

Will Sterling had two encounters sixteen years before that in some very important ways shaped his life: one of them with his uncle which was devastating; the other one brought light into the darkness with it in a Shakespearean balcony scene with a young girl who unknowingly spoke directly to Will’s heart. Now as an adult, Will has unexpectedly inherited a condo in the quirky and somewhat decrepit building his uncle lived in and so actually meets his dream girl. All is not smooth though because they form an adversarial relationship based on conflict rather than love. Will wants to sell the “unit” as he calls it while Nora Clarke, the girl now a woman in question, spearheads a campaign directly against Will’s plans. A workaholic doctor, Will’s early years and loss have made him a stanch guardian against getting emotionally involved with anyone. His life of quiet desperation is about to come to an end.

Nora’s late beloved grandmother owned an apartment in the old building and now it is hers. Since her parents where often absent or distracted with their careers, the summers spent with Nonna gave Nora a sense of love, comfort, and belonging that she found nowhere else. All the tenants have made a family over the years, so with Will’s heartless plans to disrupt their lives, Nora decides that will not happen on her watch. While Will is outwardly charming and to some extent, disarming, it is a facade that allows him to function in the world without getting too involved with people on any thing more than a surface level. The eclectic older tenant/owners have a very different agenda subjecting Will to their own special brand of quirkiness drawing him in one zany plot at a time.

Will and Nora do a complex dance based on an intense attraction while ostensibly having very opposite goals. They both have abandonment issues stemming from their youth which complicates a full out relationship after they come to a detente. While they have one type of connection that eventually leads to intimacy, this story takes quite a long while to develop when it comes to their whole hearts getting on board fully committed, overcoming the obstacles that can derail Nora and Will.

Ms. Clayborn’s stories have quite a bit of exposition of the naval gazing kind where characters sometimes seemingly have no unexamined thought. The main characters’ interior life plays a large part making the action seem of lesser importance. For some readers, this might make the story drag and in truth, this one is extra slow burn and the opposite of books with instalove romances. Some parts do seem rather protracted but overall, this is another example of Ms. Clayborn’s fine skills at a parsing out the glories love but not without quite a bit of hard work by the couples first.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eERC in exchange for an honest review.

I only discovered Kate Clayborn in the summer of 2020, and I'm only sad I didn't find her earlier. This was such a sweet but funny book. I love anything with hijinks, and I adored Nora rallying all of the building residents to stop Will's potential AirBnB situation. (More hijinks in books, I say!) I found that Will and Nora were wonderful characters, as they weren't taken over by their career as so often happens. (Will is a doctor, but it isn't the only thing we know about him.) This was a perfect read to finish off a stressful year!

I absolutely adored the previous novel I read by Kate Clayborn, Love Lettering, so I was eagerly anticipating reading Love at First. I tried to make myself wait and finish other books on my 2020 TBR pile, but then Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy mentioned how much she adored Love at First and I couldn't wait another day to dive in.
This novel is everything I knew it would be: a poignant and richly layered story about the power of love. Once again, the characters are brilliantly crafted and the author's voice is so soft and gentle, yet she manages to nail you right between the eyes with her poetic truth. These characters, the dialog, their hopes and fears, their mistakes...all of it adds up to a beautiful reading experience. Yes, it's an enemies-to-lovers story, but it's also about community and family and what it means to conquer our fear and embrace the unexpected gifts in our lives.
As other reviewers have already stated, this book will wreck you in the best possible way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC. All opinions shared here are my own.

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
I discovered this author earlier this year when I read Love Lettering. It was such a quietly beautiful story that I could not wait to read her next book.
This book did not disappoint. This author has a deft hand with these stories that are lovely but contain subtler characters.
There are moments in our lives that specifically shape us. I this story, we have a young woman whose parents loved her but were much more devoted to their careers. Luckily, her Nonna was a safe have. Spending summers with her were her world. However, this created an issue for Nora. She needs things to stay the same. Change is scary.
Will grew up with parents who only had enough love for one another. They were not mean just uninterested. When his father got sick, his mother tried to give him to an uncle that he did not know.
Will grew up afraid to love someone because he did not want to Be his parents. His life is structured and he really doesn’t care about what others want.
I loved how these two fall into one another. They are both scared and there are rules but you know that those are never going to hold.
I adored this story and love how the author can show the importance of how life happens. Sometimes there is just a fight with squirrels over tomatoes and a teenage boy tumbles right into his forever.
There is a beautiful found family and the importance of learning to adjust.
I cannot wait for her next book.

A slow-burn romance that begins in a chance encounter in childhood and navigates through the enemies-to-lovers troupe creates an interesting and heart-warming story. We open the story in the prologue featuring a young Will hearing the girl of his dreams only to have him meet her again 16 years later. It was a great hook to get the reader into the story as you become intrigued by Will’s life as there is family arguing taking place and you have his young love romantic mystery woman all in the prologue and you can’t wait to get into the story to see how everything will play out.

When Donny suddenly passes away, the fellow residents of his building are all concerned about what will become of his now vacant apartment. One of those residents is Nora, a work from home worker for a San Diego firm, who recently moved in full time after her grandmother passed away. Since childhood, she and the other residents of the building have been a makeshift family and she fears that the new resident will disrupt the harmony they have in their older, slightly run down, building. Enter the new resident, Will, a doctor, who is Donny’s nephew. Once Will enters the picture, he feels a pull to Nora as she could be the one from the balcony all those years ago.

Will does not have good memories associated with his new apartment from past incidents and wants to lease it out as he is obligated to keep it for a year per Donny’s will. As Nora and the other residents are protective of their building, a rivalry starts between Nora and Will. However, feelings start to develop between them, but due to Will’s fear of becoming like his parents, he avoids giving in to those feelings. Their story is told from third person compared to most stories of this genre that are told from the point of view of one or both of the main characters so we see closer looks at their inner thoughts. From this writing style, we still get told about each character and why they are making certain decisions, while not being direct inner thoughts.

The other residents and their bonds are the true stars of the story as this Chicago building has become a true family even though they are not related by blood. Together they watch out for each other and always want the best, even if it means being a little nosy into each other’s lives. This story is definitely worth a read to those who want a story for people coming together for both the good and bad times was extremely heart-warming and well worth reading the story just for this portion.

The moments of sabotage were entertaining, but the relationship between both of the main characters was hard to get in to. The chemistry between them was hot and cold throughout as there were times when I felt the tension between them and others where it just didn’t feel natural. Will and Nora both had pieces that I liked about them as characters, but neither fully grew on me to where I loved them by the end. I appreciate where the author was trying to go with them, but something just didn’t quite click for me with them as a potential couple. However, the bonds each of them form (or had formed) with the other residents of the building was amazing. I love how Will came in as an outsider and even though he wasn’t planning on staying, he always tried to make sure the other residents didn’t see him fully as the enemy and he tried to bond with them.

Overall, this novel was hits and misses, but I still enjoyed it overall. It flows nicely from beginning to end and I felt like the author did a good job painting a picture of this building and its residents. The growth the characters experience was very heart-warming and I love the concept of a family that’s not related by blood and instead by the bonds they’ve formed. Kate Clayborn has definitely intrigued me and I can’t wait to get my hands on her other books to try!

**Thank you very much to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my ARC to read. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**