This was my first Kate Clayborn book and I am so fortunate enough to have received an arc!! “Love at First” is the story of Will and Nora who met when they were teenagers but didn't really see each other's face only to meet 16 years later at the same building . Upon reconnecting, the 2 did not start off on the right foot. But they work through their issues and develop a sweet and steamy relationship. I enjoyed this slow burn and can’t wait for my next Kate book.

I really enjoyed the story for both the primary tale, between Will and Nora but also all of the extra players who came into their lives. The quirky neighbors and colleagues really added fun elements for both the main characters.

Definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a sweet and fun rom-com!

This wasn’t a bad book, I just didn’t care? I mean yes it was sweet and i love books with side characters that are like a small community and so neighbourly and on each other’s business. So yes I liked all of that, but my main issue was with the two main characters. They were just so flat. Two dimensional and so repetitieve. I don’t feel like I get to know them no matter how hard i tried. I also found the romance kinda boring, lacking, and with a nonexistent chemistry. When did they start falling for each other? Because I think I missed it. Even the enemies to lovers part felt kinda one-sided? The premise is interesting and the book started out well, but once I get to know the characters I started to dislike it.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy.

Tales that start with balconies, a star-crossed couple, and fateful meetings usually end with poison, knives, and stupidity. <i>Love at First</i> gives Will & Nora (and the Romeo & Juliet trope) a second chance for a happier ending.

Kate Clayborn's characters--main & side--feel like real people. Our couple have to give up comfort and safety and allow in new ideas and connections to get to each other. The humor (and this book causes both rueful and LOL laughter) comes in watching them figure out how to be adults with healthy attachments.

[the moment in the hospital parking lot where Will's doctor boss says "You don't have to love people the way you learned to love at first" and the static in Will's head is yelling at him and he decides to risk his career, be an authentic friend, and...call his boss by his FIRST NAME? that moment? I love that moment.]

Also, the woman writes an absolutely transcendent sex scene, while providing further evidence that respect, condoms, and full consent make everything better.

Cannot wait to give this to all my Sally Thorne, Christina Lauren, and Samantha Young fans.

Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Earlier this year I read and loved author Kate Clayborn's novel "Love Lettering," I then made my way through her "Chance of a Lifetime" series, which I also loved and it solidified my status as a fan.

I was thrilled to get an opportunity to read "Love at First" and what a magical journey it was.

"You don't have to love people the way you learned to love at first."

When I read the synopsis for "Love at First" I assumed this would be another cute romcom/enemies-to-lovers story featuring grumpy/sunshine dueling characters who fall in love, but it was so much more.

Will and Nora were complex characters dealing with a plethora of issues, chief among them, personal insecurities and grief. And while I adored Nora, I honestly wanted to reach through my kindle and hug Will; reassure him, tell him to allow himself to feel. I also wanted to tell Nora that it was okay to let go. There were instances I wanted to shake both of the main characters into reason, but they figured it out on their own soon enough.

I simply loved these two and reading about them falling in love, surrounded by wonderful supporting characters (Will's boss is a personal favorite) was such a treat.

"Love at First" was a wonderful love story and Will and Nora's story is one that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you for an advance copy of this book! I will be posting this review on Goodreads the week of publication.

I really adored this book. I loved Will and Nora separately and as a pair and it was great to see all of the neighbors, and really the apartment building, become fully formed secondary characters.

While I fully admit that the original premise of the story seems a bit far fetched (Will needs glasses, "sees" Nora while visiting his uncle, falls in love), I appreciate that it really isn't the meat of what drives the characters as they get to know each other. I do wish that we had gotten more insight into Nora. We hear the reasons she returned to Chicago, but it seemed like there was a lot more into why Nora's life is where it is at and it would have been great to discover that. I would have loved to hear more about her job.

As to Will, I loved his budding friendship with his boss, but we get very little sense of his life outside of the apartment and Nora. It seems like a little more could have been added there.

But really, I just through the story was the perfect mix of sweet and conflict and none of the obstacles in the way of Will and Nora felt forced or out-of-place. I loved how the neighbors took care of each other and formed a community and the author does a great job of building a small world and giving you a great picture of the inside of each unit (I mean apartment ;) ).

I can't wait to go back to this novel when it comes out, it was a warm blanket on a cool night.

Love at First was a breath of fresh air - seriously! I’ve been exclusively reading chick lit for a few months and I was getting tired of the same old story lines. This was refreshing and a little unpredictable. I loved how the story and characters evolved and appreciated the family unit that was developed.

It was ok. It was constructed well, well written and I appreciated how the inner/outer conflicts of the H/h were well matched. I wanted to like this novel as I have heard great things about Kate Clayborn from folks I respect in the literary world, but I was just bored. It was very wordy and felt like it started slow. I didn't feel the connection between the H/h for quiet a while. Around 30% through, I started just skimming and reading the conversation bits to finish the book. I just didn't care about Nora trying to save the environment for all these elderly folks who, honestly, are going to pass on in a short time anyway. She is trying to preserve this literal dying way of life. While this book isn't for me, I still think it is a "good" book.

From the moment she unknowingly pelted him with a tomato at the age of sixteen, Will knew that the girl on the balcony held a special place in his heart. He didn't know her name and he barely saw what she looked like behind the wall of the balcony, but something about her laugh and her voice called to his heart. But it wasn't meant to be, since a few minutes later his mom stormed out of his uncle's apartment and angrily dragged him away from the courtyard where he had experienced feelings unlike any other in his life.

His uncle had said some terrible things that day, and Will decided he would be the exact opposite of the person his uncle thought he was. He resolved to change himself, and he did it, all by himself.

Fast forward to many years later. Will is now an adult who is called back to the apartment. This time, he's there because he's its new owner. His uncle has passed away, and he's inherited the apartment. He doesn't want to be there. His uncle's harsh words still echo in his head, and the pain he feels now is as raw as it was the last time he was in his uncle's home. The loneliness and sadness he's fought since that day come flooding back.

Then he hears that voice again, and he can't believe it. It couldn't be the girl who had pelted him with tomatoes, could it? There's no way she could still be living there, in that same apartment? If it wasn't her, why was his heart beating so erratically?

This is a wonderful story, mainly told from the point of view of the hero, Will Sterling. We see how he felt as an awkward teen boy. How he grows into a handsome, confident emergency room doctor. How he fights the demons from his past and overcomes obstacles that many of us wouldn't wish on our worst enemy. Yet something is missing in his life and he doesn't really know what it is, until the day that fate brings him face-to-face with a female voice that has haunted his dreams and thoughts for year. That female voice belongs to Nora and now that he's seen all of the adult version of her, his teen feelings return, but stronger than ever before. Yet he won't let himself fall for Nora, knowing that his past means he could never have a normal relationship. Or does it? Is he destined to repeat the errors of his parents?

We also learn about Nora, the young girl who was staying at her grandmother's apartment and using tomatoes to chase squirrels off the balcony when she unknowingly pelted Will. We see her years later, and she -- like all the tenants who live in the apartment building -- is worried about the young man who has inherited his uncle's apartment. You see, they are a family of sorts, caring for each other because they have no biological family to do so. So they take care of each other. They are grieving the death of Will's uncle as they would grieve a family member's death. And they don't want a stranger in their building, perhaps making changes or selling the apartment to someone who won't fit in.

When Will announces his plan to rent out the apartment to vacation and short-term rentals, Nora leads a mission to sabotage his efforts by staging a series of events and activities that she thinks will dissuade him. But in her efforts, she realizes that there's more to him than just the suave, confident doctor. That he hides hurts and loneliness too -- feelings that Nora can relate to. But she fights her growing attraction for Will, knowing that his plans for his inherited apartment will change their building forever.

The author--Kate Clayborn--does a wonderful job of flushing out the depth of the main characters. We really understand their how their childhood has influenced their actions and motivations as adults,. She helps us empathize with each character's own weakness and hurts. I especially loved Will -- a character written with so much depth that I wish he was a real person I could meet and get to know!

I thought this was a very good book and recommend it! Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

A funny, sweet, and heartfelt romance with a delightful cast of secondary characters. Will and Nora are full, realized characters with rich backstories and it is a delight to see them experience growth.

A charming story, with characters I was ready to fall in love with, but for me it lacked a little in narrative drive and pace

I really loved Clayborn's last book, Love Lettering, so I was eagerly awaiting this new title. As with her last book, Clayborn has written a lovely, quiet romance that provided a calming read in this year of turmoil. Clayborn's writing continues to be strong, but I didn't quite connect with these characters as much as I was hoping to.

Kate Clayborn does it again. My first introduction to Kate was 'Love Lettering,' and it became one of my favorites. 'Love at First' is another solid romance from Kate. This is the perfect modern romance novel to snuggle up and read this winter.

Kate Clayborn’s writing style is so rich, so full of detail and gives you all the feels. She made me feel like I was reading something that lovingly belonged in the past but was refreshingly set in the present.

Will Sterling finds himself the unwelcome owner of a condo unit he doesn’t want and therefore becomes a serious threat to Nora Clarke’s piece of mind and carefully curated life. Each of them has to contend with a delightful cast of characters who live in the tiny condo complex. Will’s story will break your heart. Nora’s will give you hope.

I love stories about real characters who could be your next-door neighbour. This book is a gentle reminder that so often we don’t know the whole story, unless we take the time to learn it. It's about community. And kindness. And generosity. And I definitely recommend reading it!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Will met Nora when he was in high school. She was the girl he'd been dreaming about. They meet again after more than fifteen years. I liked the chemistry between Will and Nora.

Love at First is a slow burn romance from sort-of-enemies to lovers with a community of quirky side characters and the apartment building itself that add color and heart to this quiet, but laugh-out-loud at times, contemporary romance.

*Note to sweet romance readers: Rated R for sex/some language

DNF at 50%

After really looking forward to this, I’m super disappointed to say that it didn’t work for me. I started it off reading in a loud environment, so i figured that was the reason for my initial dislike, but my dislike just multiplied with time.

Have you ever tried to read a book, but found that you couldn’t relate to a single character? That right there was my problem with this book. I never cared for Will, but I grew to despise Nora. She was petty, and completely one-dimensional. Honestly, I know nothing about her. I can’t even recall why she cared so much about a literal armchair in Donny’s apartment.

My second problem with this was the entire plot. I just didn’t understand it. Will had an apartment left to him, so why were these residents so concerned with what he was going to do with it?? It’s not like he was going to throw raging parties, so what was the problem with renting it out? As long as he was responsible, these people shouldn’t have cared. Instead of keeping to themselves, these resident launch a vendetta against him, and basically attempt to sabotage his efforts. I’m sorry if I can’t relate to a bunch of petty characters who feel they have a say in anything and everything.

And finally, I despised the romance. Or, should I say infatuation? As soon as Will saw the girl on the balcony, I groaned, because it was one of the worst cases of insta-love I have ever read. And, as soon as Will moves back into the apartment, his thoughts are immediately circling around Nora. I can handle insta love if it’s done well, but this was too much. It just made the characters feel fake because 80% of their personality was based off of their attraction to the other.

The one thing I did enjoy about this was our kittens, Francis and Quincey. They were adorable, and as a cat lover, books with cats get automatic points. Sadly, even the kittens couldn’t save this. Considering that it has glowing reviews, there must be something I missed, but it’s not something I care about enough to continue.

Thanks to Kate Clayborn and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first book I’ve read by Kate Clayborn but I’ll definitely be putting her other books on TBR list.

Love at First follows Will and Nora who are complete opposites. Will is running away from his past while Nora can’t seem to let go of hers. This was one of the sweetest books I’ve read this year and the side characters were so wonderful. The entire book was heartwarming. If you enjoy a good frenemies to lovers, I would recommend you pick this up.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

I just read “Love Lettering,” so I jumped to read another well-written romance by Kate Clayborn, and this book delivered. The book begins with a smirk-worthy battle of wits between doctor Will attempting to flip his inherited apartment into an AirBnB situation and Nora, who lives in the apartment complex and is trying to destroy his plans, and then slowly builds to a realistic romance between two unlucky people. Definitely recommended for romance readers. (Both characters were non-described white people, and much of the supporting characters were not assigned a race.)

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of Love At First. I loved this romance, and flew through it. Highly recommend. 5 stars!!