Nadine Gonzalez delivers a breezy, sun-drenched romance full of charm, wit, and just the right amount of emotional depth in Only Lovers in the Building. Set against the lush, glittering backdrop of Miami Beach, the novel sparkles with personality—from the eccentric residents of The Icon to the undeniable chemistry between its two central characters.

Liliane Lyon is a compelling heroine: vulnerable yet resilient, looking to recharge after a public career implosion. Her meet-cute-turned-cozy-friendship with Benedicto Romero—a brooding poet on sabbatical—feels organic and sweetly awkward, especially as they bond over a shared love of romance novels. Their banter is sharp, their connection slow-burning, and watching them fumble through their feelings is both frustrating and delightful in the best rom-com way.

The podcast subplot adds a fun, modern twist, giving Lily and Ben a reason to explore their dynamic under the scrutiny of others. While their transition from book buddies to potential lovers occasionally drags, Gonzalez offsets this with lush descriptions, moments of introspection, and a strong supporting cast that keeps the energy high.

Though it doesn’t reinvent the genre, Only Lovers in the Building is a warm, satisfying read that reminds us love doesn’t always follow the script—but sometimes, that’s exactly where the magic lies.

I picked up Only Lovers in the Building because let’s be real, the title gave me instant Only Murders in the Building vibes (which I love), and the adorable cover sealed the deal.

A sweet summer romance set in a vibrant apartment building with a book-loving hero and a book club-turned-podcast? Yes, please!

There’s so much to love in this premise. I really enjoyed the budding connection between Lily and Ben, especially their podcast banter as they discussed romance novels with heart and humor. There’s a wonderful theme of rediscovery woven throughout. Lily stepping away from her corporate law job, building new friendships, and learning to fully live again.

That said, the writing style just didn’t quite click with me. I found myself wishing for more natural flow and deeper emotional moments between the characters. While I loved the idea of the building being filled with quirky neighbors, I wasn’t always sure how their roles fit into the bigger picture.

I still appreciate what this story aimed to do. It’s heartfelt, it’s hopeful, and it carries a lovely message that love can bloom in unexpected places—and that change can be the beginning of something beautiful.

I wish I loved the book as much as I adore the cover. I struggled to connect to the story and characters even though the plot was fleshed out, the characters were well developed. and I enjoyed Gonzalez's writing overall. This could be my mood reader tendencies so I will certainly give future books a try.

This was good and cute, if somewhat slow. Novels where the protagonist lawyer doesn't want to be a lawyer are both really common and ALSO writers writing them always think they're first, so I feel like I'm supposed to be more surprised than I am that drafting merger documents is not that thrilling. I liked the setting. I liked the apartment and the friend group and the love of books. I think the relationship itself was a little off - lots of florid declarations from Ben and confusion from Lily - but the podcast was cute and it was very timely. 3.5 rounded up.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Only Lovers in the Building is an endearing and heartfelt read that begins with a midlife crisis and gently unfolds into a sweet, unconventional romance. While the romantic connection took a while to really click for me—only becoming clear past the halfway mark—it ultimately felt delicate, sincere, and well-earned.

What truly stood out were the heavier themes explored throughout the story. Nadine Gonzalez doesn't shy away from real-life complexities, and she weaves them into the plot with care and thoughtfulness. I appreciated that depth and nuance in what could have been a much lighter read.

I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book — all thoughts in my review are my own.

The cover of this book screamed Miami to me & that is the reason I chose to read it and I am so happy I did! This was such a fun, quick read that follows Lily, as she is going through some self discovery and quits her job without a plan. I completely related to this because I too left a toxic job environment a few years ago without a plan. Throughout the novel we meet Lily's new neighbors who includes our MMC Ben. One of my favorite male main characters I've read in awhile.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was that Miami wasn't just the setting of the novel but it was a character in itself. I lived in Miami for 17 years but now live in Colorado and the authors description of Miami, from the way she described the thunderstorms to the Lincoln road and the shops transported me back home immediately.

Only Lovers in the Building was an endearing read that started with a midlife crisis but transformed into a sweet romance. While I didn't see the romantic connection in till more than halfway into the book it turned out to be delciate and sweet if a little unconventional. I really enjoyed the discussion of heavy topics in this book and I am excited to see what the other does next. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher

"Only Lovers in the Building" is a contemporary romance set in Miami, blending themes of self-worth, summer love, and the complexities of modern relationships. The story follows Lily Lyon, a former corporate lawyer who retreats to Miami after an abrupt end to her legal career. There, she meets Ben Romero, a MacArthur grant-winning poet and university lecturer. Despite their contrasting personalities, the two bond over their shared love for romance novels which eventually leads to a book club podcast and more. Can summer romance evolve into a lasting relationship?
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the pacing was fine, I loved the banter between the two main characters but often found it rushed or confusing. I really enjoyed meeting the other building residents and wish we had more time with them.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lighthearted and cute, this came as advertised. The building is part of the story, much like its namesake, but the relationship between the two main characters didn’t always feel totally organic. I enjoyed it and it will be a good summer read for anyone looking for a fun and cute book.

I learn to suspend a bit of belief in rom coms, but I wasn't buying this very rapid transition from posting reviews to podcast to major book deal. it felt very rushed, just like this book. I think it could have benefited from being longer than 280 pages. otherwise a lovely friends to lovers, vacation read. just not one I connected well with.

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez forced proximity, friends-to-lovers summer romance.

Lily has quit her corporate law job and decided to spend the summer in Miami, sitting in the sun, reading, and sipping cocktails. What she does not expect is her charming, book loving neighbor Ben. A fun and flirty romance book club is born with online book reviews and intense chemistry, leading to more members/friends in their building and eventually a podcast. I enjoyed the chemistry between Ben and Lily and I really wanted to love this book, but I really struggled with it. It felt like it was just missing something and the story felt choppy and clunky. While I loved the other characters in the building, I just didn’t always understand the point of them being in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between Ben and Lily with respect to their podcast as they discussed romantic novels. They connected with their listeners as they appealed to then and gave them hope that love can be found. Lily found herself lost in her legal career as she wasn't given credit for all the hard work she put in. She decided to change which led her to the building that she planned on staying through the summer and resurrect her career thereafter. However, in expanding her network whether it be Noah or Sierra, she found herself again. She laughed more and truly started to live. She knew that she could love and be loved in return. This book gives hope that everything does happen for a reason and we all deserve to be happy. I certainly will read it again.

I feel like I liked the cover more than the book. I’ll give the author another try in the future I just don’t think I could connect with the characters

Lily and Ben had all the makings of a great summer read. The cover drew me in instantly, and the premise—neighbors bonding over romance novels and slowly falling for each other—sounded like a dream. I was expecting cozy, community vibes à la Only Murders in the Building, where the setting becomes its own character. But somewhere along the way, the spark fizzled.

Lily ditches her corporate job for a summer of sunshine, books, and self-discovery in Miami. She meets Ben, a brilliant but lowkey literary mind, and they start a book club of two. On paper, it’s charming. In execution, it left me wanting more. The atmosphere didn’t capture the essence of Miami—there was no sizzle, no humidity, no vibrant pulse. The chemistry between Lily and Ben felt muted when it should’ve been electric.

The dialogue felt stiff, and the characters never quite came alive for me. The writing seemed to mimic other romance tropes without fully owning a distinct voice, which made it hard to connect. At times, it read more like a YA or New Adult story, which wasn’t what I was expecting. I kept reading, hoping for a shift or deeper emotional payoff, but it just never landed.

This one had so much potential, but it didn’t deliver the warmth, tension, or depth I was hoping for.

I loved this gossipy book. The format reminds me of the gossip girl books that I used to flip through in middle school. Any fan of romance books and/ or Goodreads will appreciate this story. This will be a great book to bring on a vacation/ for sitting on the beach or really anytime. It’s light while still approaching a few more challenging topics. The chemistry is excellent. However, so are the sub plots of the friendship throughout the building, and the setting is Miami in the summer.

Well, that’s not what I thought I’ve signed up for. I have expected a romantic comedy but that’s not quite what I’ve got. The book didn’t really reflect the setting, the dialogue was at places awkward and I couldn’t quite connect with the characters.

I initially picked this book for the title because it gives a nod to Only Murders in the Building. While the concept and setting of this book was great the writing style was just not for me. It just felt a bit all over the place for me and the dialogue didn’t feel realistic. Overall, wasn’t for me and that’s okay.

This was cute (and so is the cover, I really love the cover)!

And of course I had to read this one because I love the show Only Murders in the Building and this has an obviously similar title.

And this definitely has a very distinct location just like the show, almost making the building and the community a character itself. I thought that was a very fun way to do this kind of book.

I love the premise of this story, but I wish it was executed a little differently. I found the interactions between our two main characters to be a bit weird and clunky? It just wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be (and I don't mean smooth like a person being a smooth talker, but the actual style of writing dialogue). I just needed a little more oomph here.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

A hot book for summer 2025! I loved the setting in Miami and the characters that are guests at the 'building'. It was unique to see how they came alive on their own and with one another. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a cute and easy read perfect for the beach but unfortunately something was missing and I didn’t FEEL like I was at the beach which I had expected to.

Overall, the plot was cute but something was missing and overall this one was meh