This is my first read from Sophie Sullivan.

I think my most favorite part of reading
How to Love Your Neighbor is that I felt like I should have been done based on books like this by other authors, but in fact Sophie wasn't going to rush through to get to Noah and Grace's HEA. She was going to give us every stomach twisting, eye rolling flop and flounder that couples go through when they're learning about each other. Books in the past have thrown one obstacle in front of the main characters and then wrapped it up pretty quick. Sophie gave Noah and Grace an honest build up, crash multiple times and they were worth the read.

The idea of the obnoxious smexy neighbor with money trying to buy his happy from the girl next door is common but this felt different. Both characters came from challenged childhoods with their own issues. Solidly built characters that are relatable and fun. Emotional traumas that don't really make them who they think they are. Secondary characters that were entertaining, could hold their own, but didn't take away from Noah and Grace.

All around a great five star read to wind down with after a stressful and chaotic week.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Well-paced enemies to lovers rom com. Loved the interior design theme! I laughed a lot and enjoyed the story. There wasn't a huge climax and not much drama, but it had enough content to keep me intrigued,
If you are looking for a light, fun read definitely read this!

Well-paced enemies to lovers rom com. If you read Sophie Sullivan's earlier 10 Rules for Faking it, you will run into some familiar characters. But, it is NOT necessary to have read that one before picking up this one. Very good chemistry between the main characters. Charming and enjoyable.

What a fun book! From the very first page with the dogs escaping from Grace and her getting tangled up in their leashes in front of Noah, How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan was the perfect sunshine heroine/grumpy hero rom com. I loved their banter and the emotional wounds that made their story arcs so heartfelt and uplifting. This was my first book by Sophie Sullivan but will definitely not be my last!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for chic lit. This book checks all the boxes. It was a decent read. Felt a little flat.

I know this is an ARC - but there were tons of spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting issues. Most ARC'S I have read may have a couple but this was a lot.

My advice is to definitely send it back to an editor to read and review.

Other than that, it was a cute read.

Grace and Noah – it's hate and annoyance at first sight.

Noah, looking to strike out on his own away in California far away from his overbearing father in New York, purchases a beach front property with the aim of flipping and selling for a killer profit and amazing press. Buying the property next door would only add to the value on his would-be sale, what with a pool facing the ocean.

Grace, looking to be successfully independent in her newly inherited home, has absolutely no intention of ever yielding her family home to this new-to-town real estate tycoon. An almost-graduate from design school, Grace has plans of setting down and in, and Noah’s attempts to buy her land and force her out of her grandparents’ home sets off a neighborly war that oftentimes isn’t anywhere near friendly.

In this sweet and frothy enemies-to-lovers romance, the two square off with land surveys, painting competitions, and interior design contests. What initially begins as extreme frustration for the both of them with completely different hopes for their real estate outcomes eventually turns into a thoughtful and loving expression of what a contemporary romance could be.

Grace and Noah both are vulnerable, willing to grow, and take great pains to be sensitive and apologetic as needed. It was refreshing to see a couple not fall victim to miscommunication in the name of unnecessary plot devices. In terms of spice, this fade-to-black romance is a little steamy throughout but remains closed door all throughout the story. The happily-ever-after is a guarantee, and so the grand gesture was a little anticlimactic; the reader will pretty quickly piece together the fallout of the two plot lines affecting their respective characters.

In all, it was an excellent story that was funny, refreshing, and a joy to read. I would happily recommend this to anyone who enjoy contemporary romances!

Grace wants nothing more than her own home, so when she moves in to the house left to her by her grandparents, nothing is going to get her to give it up, especially not her new neighbour.

Noah left New York to get away from his father, and make his own way in business. he is used to stopping at nothing to get what he wants, so what will happen when he is up against Grace, who is determined not to let him get his own way.

I like how it is told from both points of view and also that you catch up with characters from the previous book too.

A great read - can't wait for the next book in the series!

I love romances that are home renovation focused. This one wasn't forced proximity but neighbours instead with Noah trying to buy Grace's house from her before she settles in. Turns out Grace is a fabulous interior designer about to graduate school and is the perfect choice for Noah to hire to decorate his home for a magazine feature. It helps that they have amazing chemistry and interview/photograph well together.

This was a 3.5/5 for me because it was cute but I think more could have been done with Noah's family. His one brother and girlfriend were well represented but his dad especially could have had more.

How to Love your Neighbor was a sweet, easy read. Loved the interior design theme! I feel. like that's something I haven't seen much of before. Grace and Noah were deep enough characters that you were pulling for them both, and there were several moments that pulled at my heartstrings! Sweet love story, also loved the supporting characters!

How a House Becomes a Home

ARC received from St. Martins Press for honest review.

Our story centers around Grace Travis, a multitasking powerhouse design student with a knack for everything, and Noah Jansen, a real estate mogul stepping out of his father's shadow. Grace inherits the house next door to Noah. He makes numerous, persuasive, offers for her to sell the house (he wants a pool of course) but she consistently says no. They fight and bicker with all that enemies to lovers passion and some times in front of reporters. One reporter in particular who decides to do a three part article in a popular home magazine on his home renovation if, and only if, Grace is his designer.

What follows is a whirl wind romance with a strong theme of learning to trust, keeping promises, and letting people help you. Both MCs are recovering from their parental trauma. One of the biggest things I loved about this book was that they both ultimately told their parents to shove it. They chose their family and it didn't have to revolve around blood.

How to Love Your Neighbor was a perfect read to fit in with all those cute romcoms Booktok and Bookstagram obsessed over this summer (ie. the Unhoneymooners and everything by Emily Henry).

Overall Rating: 4/5

Characters - 5/5
This book is largely character driven. If you're a big fan of dialog and a strong character arc, you'll enjoy it.
Plot - 4/5
I am a cynic so feeling like any part of a romcom is realistic is hard for my to believe but the story line was adorable. I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and some good mutual pining tension.
IT factor - 5/5
This will be such a popular book and I will definitely be recommending it. It has so many tropes the book community loves. Its also paced really well to keep you hooked the whole time.
Writing - 3.5/5
There was almost no description of the characters. The majority of descriptors was given to decor and the setting. I couldn't tell you what color hair Grace had because I'm not sure if it was mentioned. Also if Noah said "I've never met a woman like you" any more times, I was gonna slap him.
Other - 4/5
I felt like their were some inconsistencies between how the characters acted in their respective chapters. Like Noah from his point of view was very different than how he seemed during Grace's POV. But that also makes sense in a way because people see others differently than they seem themselves. Also, I just have to say, Noah is a man who's been to therapy. He was conscious of his actions (though occasionally after the fact), he expressed what he was feeling, and he knew where he could potentially fail in a relationship and worked to fix it.

Thanks to SMP, this ARC was a joy to read and I can't wait for everyone else to experience it!

This was a really cute romcom! I loved the banter between Grace and Noah! I laughed a lot and enjoyed the story. There wasn't a huge climax and not much drama, but it had enough content to keep me intrigued,

If you are looking for a light, fun read definitely read this!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to #smpromance and #netgalley for the ARC

I didn't read the first book in this series (this is #2), so I wasn't familiar with any of the characters. This was enjoyable enough - light, fluffy, clean - but it just didn't click in the way I hoped it would. There were moments of cute banter and competition but the pacing was a little off in places and a few things the characters said to each other came out of left field because of it. I loved the supporting cast of characters - looking at you Morty and Tilly - but all in all, it felt a little bland. I'd add an extra .5 star if you're a fan of DIY shows.

Quote: "Which house is that?" "Whichever one you're in. Wherever you are, that's where I'll be."

Song for Grace and Noah: Bones by Maren Morris (which is a little bit of a cheat), “When the bones are good, the rest don't matter, Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter, Let it break 'cause you and I remain the same; When there ain't a crack in the foundation, Baby, I know any storm we're facing, Will blow right over while we stay put, The house don't fall when the bones are good."

oh I LOVED this book. It had me laughing out loud multiple times. These two are the perfect neighbors. Enemies to Friends to Lovers, it is written perfectly.

(2.75) Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC! This was your (very) average romcom. I didn't have anything I disliked about this book, but it's not something I'm going to remember. I don't really understand the enemies-to-lovers aspect of this book, as 1) they didn't ever really dislike each other, and 2) the reasons they had beef were super strange and not believable. Like dude, she doesn't want to sell her house. Chill.

Enemies to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this one did not disappoint! It was a quick, lovely read and a great escape! I will be purchasing this for our library and recommending it to others. I'm also going to look up her other book now. This will be an author to watch out for.

All the warm and fuzzy feels with this book, and what was not to love about it. Enemies to friends love; an independent, confident, and aware heroine; a sweet and romantic hero that learns and apologizes 😝; and so much more!

Briefly and without spoilers, the book is about Grace (a fun-loving soon to be interior designer) and Noah (a persistent real estate developer) that become neighbors and, after a rough start, fall in love while making there houses a home. This book was so fun and sweet and lovely 🥰 major swooning! Going to go put some more Sophie Sullivan on my TBR now ♥️

How to Love Your Neighbor: A Novel is meant to be a short, cute story for fans of HGTV, the beach, and G-rated romances.

The book alternates between the perspectives of Grace and Noah, whom although share a fence line, share little else if looking at their current circumstances. Grace has grown up with very little and worked hard for what she now has: a small home she inherited from grandparents she never knew, a design degree almost earned, and a small unit of people she considers her family. Noah, on the other hand, has grown up with immense wealth and privilege yet wants to settle down and create something meaningful on his own, without his overbearing father. As their lives keep on intersecting, they learn they might not be that different after all. (You like that bloggy book description??)

I can see why this romance may resonate with some, but it didn't for me due to a few things.

First, I felt the story was a bit all over the place in terms of pacing and the relationship between Grace and Noah. For example, it started off seeming like it was going to be an enemies-to-lovers romance but then within 25% of the book, they both just decided to start liking each other. A little after half of the book, the romance building virtually stopped. Instead, it was filled with lots of introspection about the relationship. This would've been fine if this was meant to be a deep, thought-provoking romance. But that's not what we got here. Instead, there were so many parts that I wish it would've kept developing instead of being completely disregarded, such as Leo (a troubled kid Noah starts hanging around with but then virtually drops off the face of the earth).

Second, I was not a fan of the dialogue and most of the interactions between characters. I can't tell whether it was too realistic or too unrealistic, but having the characters ask "tell me something no one knows about you" repeatedly didn't tickle my feathers. I felt channeled back to my middle-school years, which made me think of the bright red highlights I had back then... which didn't put me in a good mental place.

Lastly, this was clearly meant for people who like HGTV, DIY, home improvement shows, etc. which isn't my cup of tea, but even it was, would feel a bit underwhelming. There's a scene, for example, where we're supposed to believe they painted, arranged furniture, and decorated a room in 3 hours... I don't even watch Chip and Dale... no, Chip and Joan...Chip and someone, right? and even I know painting, alone, would take longer than that. Plus, the "amazing" interior decorating really just means everything gets painted blue.

I don't mean to be harsh. This romance is clearly not the type of romance for me, but I could see others liking it (see the beginning). Either way, thanks NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for this advanced digital copy.

this one was enjoyable however i felt it was a bit harder to sink into like i normally do when reading. the book was still definitely worth the read.

This book was absolutely adorable. I loved the enemies to lovers/sunshine and grumpy tropes, with a bit of forced proximity since Grace and Noah had to spend quite a lot of time together working on the same project. I really liked the contrast between Grace and Noah’s personalities, it made their banter incredibly entertaining every time they interacted.
Grace grew up learning to do a lot of things on her own so she has an incredibly varies skill set. She’s quite the handyman and ins’t afraid of doing everything herself which comes from having to fend for herself as a child living in a trailer park with a neglectful mother. On top of the skilled handyman Grace is going to design school while working multiple jobs and overall living a very busy life. I love Graces determination and motivation with everything in life and her passion for fixing up her new home. I found her to be quite the loveable character. Same with Noah on a different end. He seems cold and tough on the outside, but there’s definitely layers to him. He can be just as passionate about his work, when he finds the right project, and loves giving back to the community. I loved seeing the different sides of his personality and seeing the sweet side that he certainly has.
Both Grace and Noah had fears and troubles with relationships as growing up they both had less than adequate examples of them. Neither of them want to end up like their parents - for Noah his dad, and for Grace her mom - and that was obviously something that held them back from getting serious in a relationship. I liked that they were able to work through their fears even if it took them a while.
It was easy to see that Grace had a rather strained relationship with her mom, but being the only biological family she had left was the little piece that kept them connected. It made me glad that she eventually did stand up to her mom and not let her get away with what she had been doing. I liked that there was solid conversation between Noah and Grace about knowing that it’s okay to ask for help, and just because it a family matter doesn’t mean she has to handle everything on her own. Asking for help was definitely a hard thing for Grace to accept let alone go through with but I’m glad that she did eventually allow it.
With both Grace and Noah I enjoyed seeing the character development throughout the book. They both grew as individuals and as duo.
Something I was not expecting in the book, but did like is the fade-to-black scenes. When it comes to adult romances I’m always prepared for the romance scenes so it was a nice change to not have them this time. I liked how it kept the focus on the non-physical aspects of the relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it had me going through all the emotions the entire time. It was a super cute and easy read that I found perfect for when I wanted to sit down and read a book in one-sitting. I will absolutely be reading this again and can’t wait until it comes out in January. 4.5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

How To Love Your Neighbor follows Grace, a design student who recently inherited her grandparent’s house, and Noah, her neighbor who readers may recognize as the brother of Chris from Sophie Sullivan’s other novel, Ten Rules For Faking It. Noah wants to buy Grace’s house in the beginning, which causes tension and rivalry between the two of them. This book is enemies to lovers, but the enemies part of it doesn’t last for very long. I enjoyed Ten Rules For Faking It, but found myself becoming uninterested while reading this book. I didn’t connect with either of the main characters and struggled to see the romantic connection between them. This book reminded me a lot of a Hallmark movie, and I think many people will enjoy it, but it was not for me.