2.5 stars

I went into "Lovers in the Building" expecting a romantic comedy, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. As someone who's always gotten lost in make-believe stories, I found the realistic setting and storyline to be somewhat unconvincing.

The characters were likable enough, but the dialogue often felt forced and unnatural. The pacing was also too fast, with the characters' relationships and careers advancing at an unrealistic pace.

The book attempted to tackle some tough themes, like family drama, sexism at work, and the power of friendship. However, it didn't always succeed in exploring these themes deeply.

The Miami setting was a nice touch, but it didn't entirely feel authentic. I appreciated the little nods to the city's culture and landmarks, but it wasn't enough to make the story feel truly grounded.

Overall, "Lovers in the Building" was an okay read, but it didn't particularly stand out to me. If you're a fan of romantic comedies, you might enjoy it, but it's not a must-read by any means.

good romance book about making changes and finding love. love that they brought up doing book reviews together and then they started a podcast about romance books. It was interesting with the different journal entries but this book seemed all over the place--either the book reviews and podcast were good. It really didn't feel like Miami .

“But at the end of the day, you’re just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to read romance books by the pool, and we know how that story ends.”

Lily and Ben. Where do I begin, the book cover is gorgeous and I was hooked by the premise. I was getting the communal vibes of Only Murders in the Building where the location and locale shines. But things took a turn and too many things needed to be cleared up. Lily leaves her corporate job and decides to spend the summer reading and soaking up the sun. She meets her neighbour a shining literary savant and they decide to read and review romance books, while also catching feelings for one another.

Premise amazing. Execution? I wasn’t feeling it. I felt like something was missing while reading and I just can’t put my finger on it. We’re in Miami but the story doesn’t feel like Miami? I guess I’m missing the heat between the characters, the lethargy of being by the pool, the vibrancy. Something is missing and it’s driving me bonkers because I can’t find the words.

This felt like YA/New Adult to me. I felt like the dialogue and characters were restrained and stilted. The book wanted to be like too many romance novels so I struggled to find the author’s true voice. The end results: it felt cold. I stuck through this book cause I wanted to see if it would pick up…sadly for me it didn’t.

Finally, if you make your tea with a microwave I have trust issues, use a kettle please and thank you. Once you’ve read the book you’ll understand. Thank you Canary Street Press for the digital arc!