I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I do feel like it still left me a little wanting...it had a great story and the character chemistry was great! Luke and Lydia's connection was felt right off the bat. I liked the balance between plot and spice, along with the love triangle which gave it a little bit of tension.

Absolutely loved!

OK, yes, there was quite a bit of internal screaming OMG, girl, Jack is totally playing you! going on in my head during the last half of the book, but everything ends up exactly as it should in the end so we're good.

Though when the words "meet me in a mile" actually show up in the book, I can't lie--there were legitimate tears in my eyes.

I'll absolutely be looking for more from this author! (But I'm still never going to run a marathon...)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book

What a cute book!
As a runner, training for a marathon was a fun twist in the romcom.
Love the spice and romance! Recommending to my other runner reader friends!

This was a DNF for me. I picked it up because it was a sports romance about running and a marathon but it just didn't hit quite right and I found myself over analyzing the running and didn't connect to the characters.

Elizabeth Hrib delivers a fresh and flirty romance that’s equal parts humor, heart, and hustle. Lydia McKenzie might not be a runner, but she’s determined to prove herself—both professionally and personally—which leads her straight into the arms (and training schedule) of charming, down-to-earth personal trainer Luke Townsend.

The chemistry between Lydia and Luke is instant and magnetic, but what makes this story shine is its deeper emotional core. Their connection over the Manhattan Youth Center adds depth to the steamy banter, and the balance of career ambition, vulnerability, and slow-burn tension keeps the pacing brisk and engaging—just like a good training session.

Lydia’s character arc feels relatable, especially as she grapples with people-pleasing tendencies, imposter syndrome, and shifting priorities. Luke is a swoony, grounded counterpart who supports her growth while navigating his own emotional baggage.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that the office crush subplot feels a bit underdeveloped compared to the richness of Lydia and Luke’s dynamic—but that’s a small quibble in an otherwise satisfying read.

Perfect for fans of workplace drama, opposites-attract romance, and high-heat moments with a side of inspiration. You’ll be cheering for Lydia to reach the finish line—in running shoes and in love.

As an avid running all through High school and college I was really into this title. I enjoyed the romance aspect of it. Luke and Lydia were cute.

Third person isn’t my favorite but was still enjoyable.

As a runner, I loved this book! Really enjoyed this fun, light hearted read. Lydia and Luke’s banter and chemistry made this book for me! Loved the connection they shared from the beginning.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Meet the Mile by Elizabeth Hrib!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, to NetGalley and the publisher, Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book.

I rated this book two and a half stars, rounded to three. This book had a great premise and had a lot of potential, but this book’s tropes (in particular, the main one of a love triangle) were not really for me.

Lydia and Luke were adorable as a couple when they decided to let their guards down and finally stop beating around the bush, so to speak. However, Lydia’s indecision and ignorance really grated my nerves regarding Jack and her career.

I really wanted to like this. The premise of a trainer for a marathon for a person who is not a runner, and they fall in love, is just absolutely and adorably fun. But a lot of the back and forth between the two guys for Lydia really soured much of the book for me.

Architect Lydia McKenzie volunteers to run a marathon to impress her crush and get ahead at work, but soon realizes it’s not easy to run a marathon when you don’t run! Enter personal trainer Luke Townsend, a well seasoned runner and cinnamon roll who volunteers at a local youth center. The same youth center Lydia’s firm is interested in renovating. Their mutual interests, chemistry, and witty banter soon leads to some explosive fireworks! Fireworks they agree should never happen again but just can’t escape.

Things I loved:
-Dual POV
-Fun banter
-cinnamon roll MMC

Things I didn’t love:
-Lydia’s blindness towards her workplace crush
-Third person writing
-love triangle plots

Thank you NetGalley and Harelquin Romance for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this! The characters were super lovable. The plot was fun. The voice note that Luke sends Lydia had me in tearssss.

Really enjoyable, charmingly funny, without being goofy or over the top. It made me miss running, miss NYC, and want to fall in love with a personal trainer. Lovely!

Very enjoyable! I enjoyed the characters- they were real and authentically flawed. Their witty banter was laugh out loud funny. Witt, sweet, and oh-so-fun!

As a personal trainer who loves running, I LOVED this book! I also read it in November (on the day of the NYC Marathon!), so I was extra geeking out as a book lover and fitness fanatic. Luke and Lydia had great banter, which made the book fun and enticing. Loved the ending, especially the voicemail Luke left!

I had a hard time getting into this one, but in the end, I really enjoyed it. It hit that line of having interesting conflict without being rage bait, and the blooming romance between the FMC and MMC was just fun to follow. This read was a perfect level of spicy and made for an enjoyable and quick weekend read.

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story by Elizabeth Hirb. I was personally a fan of the third person POV. The chemistry between Luke and Lydia was so good even from the first time they met and had their first conversation.

“Meet Me in a Mile” by Elizabeth Hrib was a very entertaining quick read! If you’re looking for a short romance this is the book for you!

This is a story about Lydia, an architect who signs up to run in the NYC Maratjon to impress her firm/crush, and Luke an athletic trainer who wants to open up his own gym and ends up training Lydia.

This story was in third person, which was somewhat of a downfall. With third person all the inner turmoil is stated outright, you are told everything about the character. I think that first person or more description hinting towards how the characters were feeling would have added a lot more depth.

Overall I liked the book, I liked the characters and the plot but it felt like it was missing a lot. A lot of depth, and a lot of growth. This is a good quick read if that’s what you’re looking for!

This review is left voluntarily, and thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC of this book.

This was a cute, quick, fun read. The growth of both characters was nice to see, as they support each other's goals rather than demand one focus at a time. A great little novel!

I hate when people respond to posts online with “As a ____” but as a half marathoner, this was a decently realistic running romance novel. I enjoyed it.

All you have to do is meet me in a mile

✨ Dual POV
✨ Rom-Com
✨ Architect/Gym Trainer
✨ Marathon Running
✨ Charity Competition
✨ Workplace Romance

This book was the CUTEST! I am someone who actively hates running, and yes, I have ran a marathon before. It's the worst and I just can't enjoy one second of it. HOWEVER, this book made me want to try again.

The romance, the heat, the banter, the thoughtfulness. I binge read this one in a night and I am so happy I did. If you are looking for a super cute quick read about an architect and a gym trainer (which is oddly specific, but hey, you never know!), or maybe you just want to kick your feet and giggle for a little bit, this is the book to grab.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this one early <3