☀️📚 ARC Review 📚☀️
Tropes: Slow Burn 🕯 | Friends to Lovers 💞 | Close Proximity 🏖 | Books About Books 📖 | ✨

After a career crash so bad it should’ve come with airbags 💼💥, Liliane Lyon escapes to Miami Beach for sun, silence, and sippin’ cocktails 🍹😎. But instead of staying low-key, she gets swept into the quirky, art-deco-glam world of The Icon—and into the orbit of broody, bookish professor Benedicto Romero 🖋🌊.

He’s on sabbatical to sulk and sigh dramatically 😩📓. She’s trying to heal and NOT fall for anyone. But then… romance novels happen. Poolside reading turns into deep convos, dreamy looks, and chemistry hot enough to melt your SPF 🫠🔥

They read like experts in love. They’re total disasters 😂💔
Still, when they start giving out love advice and are pushed to do a podcast, suddenly it’s not just fiction anymore…

✨ The Vibes:
🌴 Beachy + bookish
🎙 Podcast cuteness
🏘 Found family & lovable weirdos
🎭 Only Murders-style eccentric energy
👀 Tension you can feel

📈 Would recommend if you love smart banter, slow burns that simmer, and characters who are chaotic but lovable. I also loved that the book mentions Miami, Florida. It felt so good to read a summer book based on the city I lived in.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Because sometimes the messiest summers make the best stories.

#BookTok #BeachReadVibes #BlackLoveBooks #BooksAboutBooks #FriendsToLovers #RomanceReadersUnite #SummerReads2025

Thank you NetGalley for an early release. This book follow Lily who suddenly quits her job in her law firm and decides to stay in Miami over the Summer. This book talks about job situation where women are over looked, book love and finding yourself at 30. I wanted to love this book however the 3rd person writing was hard for me to read. The book cover is absolutely beautiful and I loved that it was set in Miami as someone who grew up there. I enjoy the friend group and the vibes.

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book. The characters were adorable together, and the side characters were some of the best parts of the book. I did find it a little slow in the middle. The banter was cute, and I really enjoyed the romance review portion and then discussing romance tropes.

“When you’re lost, all paths lead to Miami.”

This is a perfect summer read, set in Miami where there is endless summer. Lily does what i dreamed of doing in my late twenties when I felt lost and undervalued at work, she walks away from it all, without a plan! She impulsively decides to take a break for the summer and spends her time lounging poolside while reading books, writing reviews, falling in love, and making friends.

I love that this is a romance book about romance books and book reviews. It gives insight on how our favorite tropes play out in the real world. Plus, you have a diverse cast of characters that bring a fun energy to the storyline.

The book gave me vibes of Melrose Place (less toxic) and New Girl (comedic banter) and Dawson’s Creek (mockumentary and satirical) and Reality Bites (coming of age friends to lovers).

What you get:
✔️Opposites attract
✔️Friends to lovers
✔️Close proximity
✔️No third act break up
✔️Multiculturally diverse characters
✔️MMC is endearing showering her my favorite love language, acts of service.

This is my first read from the author and it will not be my last.

I chose this book based solely on the cover and title; I didn’t even read the description before diving in. Excellent cover and title forsure.

While I appreciated the meta-ness of a romance book having characters who reviewed romance books and their troupes, this book was not my favorite. I had a hard time becoming invested in the story and it felt like it was just a “and here’s what happened next” kind of story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was super fun and cute! The paced moved along quickly and all of the characters were interesting and had good motivations. At first I thought the reason Lily and Ben weren’t together was manufactured but I quickly saw it was real and they needed to do the work before they could make a relationship last. I would love for everyone on the book to get their own story.

The cover of this book is so good! The premise is cute and the characters are, generally, endearing. I think the writing is decent but there is some depth missing.

I found the pace of bonds built with the FMC to be a bit too unbelievable. I think friendships can be built quickly but everyone just loves each other immediately and that is a bit uncanny / stepford wives for me. I also agree that the ending was rushed. It’s not too unbelievable that a woman in her 30’s would still want validation from her parents on life decisions, though, so I don’t have issues with that aspect of the conclusion.

Overall, a cozy, popcorn read!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this Advanced Readers Copy!
Rating: 4 or 4.5 stars — still torn, but I really loved this one

I took my sweet time reading this because I didn’t want it to end. The writing was so easy and warm that I just wanted to live in it for a while. The story kicks off with Lily quitting her high-stress NYC job and heading to Miami for the summer to reset her life. She ends up in this fun, slightly quirky art-deco apartment building where she meets a handful of charming neighbors — including Ben, the guy across the hall.

I absolutely loved how Lily and Ben’s friendship developed. It wasn’t rushed or overly dramatic. Just quiet, sweet, everyday moments — coffee outside their doors, post-it notes, reading by the pool. It all felt super natural and meaningful. They’re both a little guarded from past heartbreaks, but their connection builds slowly and beautifully. The banter was fun, the tension was just right, and it didn't feel like a typical romance arc. I also loved their podcast together and thought that was a really fun way to discuss their own books in their book club while hinting at their own feelings over and over.

On top of that, Lily forms such sweet friendships with the people in her building. She’s growing, healing, and figuring herself out through these little moments of community and kindness. Everyone in the book is going through something, and I loved how real and human it all felt. Honestly, it made me want to escape somewhere for the summer and meet a whole new group of people too!

Now… the only reason I’m torn between 4 and 4.5 stars is the ending. After all this great build-up, things just wrap up way too fast. Lily’s been torn about what to do next, and then a sudden phone call from her mom flips the switch and suddenly she has the validation and permission (which she doesn't need at 30 years old) she needs. And then she and Ben basically resolve all their past trauma and have a revelation of their own feelings in like two pages. I love a happy ending, but this one felt a little too neat and rushed after all the slow, thoughtful development.

Still — this book totally warmed my heart. I was so invested in the characters and their growth. I’ll definitely be picking up whatever this author writes next.

I loved this book! The Miami setting made me feel like I was right back home as a Florida girl. The witty banter had me smiling, and the characters felt like a real group of friends. It was lighthearted, quick, and left me wishing the story kept going. A fun, feel-good read!

DNF at 25%

I could barely make it the 25% I’m so sorry. This was just… idk not for me. The FMC was so annoying to me and the MMC also.. didn’t do it for me lol

I was already rolling my eyes and annoyed 5% in so… I’m calling it quits.

Thanks to NetGalley for arc!

This book was so fun. flirty and gave the best Miami vibes. This book would be such a great summer beach or pool read. As a Florida native, I feel like Nadine Gonzalez did such a great way to bring Miami alive in this book.

The banter in here was chefs kiss. The quick quips between our main couple was so sexy and witty. I loved getting to know Lily and Ben; I was swooning over their bond over books. I also liked getting to know the side characters in the building. I loved the found family vibes with all her new friends especially after her losing her job,

I would recommend this for someone who wants a fun summer read.

This was my first book by Nadine Gonzalez and honestly I don't think its going to be my last!

This was an enjoyable contemporary romance. This book had a great cast of characters and I enjoyed following Lilly and Ben in this story. This was a quick and easy read perfect for summer reading.

Read this if you like:

📖 Likable characters
📖 Found family
📖 Miami setting

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted arc.

Thank you, Harlequin Publishing Group, for granting me access to this book for review through NetGalley! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I will start by noting that romance fiction is not my area of strength, as I tend to be very critical of the dialogue, characters, and plots of novels in contemporary romance. I was weary before starting Only Lovers in the Building, but was intrigued by the premise - witty, flirty, and fun in the sun (in MIAMI!). Ms. Nadine Gonzalez, you outdid yourself with this novel. One chapter in, and I renounced my hesitation to read contemporary romance. The host characters were diverse, both in background and experiences, and felt refreshingly real. The dialogue was snappy, and the banter was splendidly crafted. The tension and relationship development between our two main characters, Lily and Ben, is fiery and reflects the fun Miami setting.

The novel transported me to the romantic comedies of the early 2000s (aka the Golden Era), and I loved every minute of it.

This was a really cute--if completely unrealistic--contemporary romance and I'm so glad I requested it from NetGalley. Don't get me wrong. I really liked this book. Gonzalez has such a way with words. To me, she writes some of the best banter I've ever read in a contemporary romance. It's whip-smart and sexy. Her characters are fully fleshed out and definitely not one-dimensional. The only thing I subtracted a star for was the believability of the plot.

Here it is: A corporate lawyer, Lilly, quits her job on a whim at their corporate retreat in Miami when another guy gets the credit for her work. She immediately decides to stay at an old hotel in Miami for the rest of the summer, in an AirBnB-type thing. That night, she meets all her neighbors at the hotel, including a jewelry expert, a fashion-influencer, and a hot bartender that turns out to be Ben, a poetry professor who is filling in at the bar for his sister.

This is where the plot kind of lost me in terms of plausibility. I like a little relatability to my CRs, and this stretched it. Not only is hot Ben really a poetry professor, he also loves romance novels AND wants to do a podcast with Lilly about romance novels. In between are lots of bookshop dates and brunches with all her new friends. She's immediately best friends with everyone, and that kinda grated on my nerves. And in the middle of all this, she gets a book deal?? Because everyone loves her opinions on romance novels?? In terms of plot, it was just way too much.

However, now that I've talked about that, I want to say that this is my first book by Gonzalez and it won't be my last. I can overlook some plot issues if the characters are strong, and the author did a really good job with hers. I liked that Lilly was both relatable AND vulnerable, and even though she was a mature woman of 30, her fears about men and dating were spot-on. No immaturity here. (Her friends, on the other hand, made me cringe. A lot.) And Ben? Well, Ben is everything you want in a romance MMC. He's sexy, super-smart, and says all the right things. The author did such a good job with the banter that I felt like I could see it all happening. This would make an excellent rom-com.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you can suspend your beliefs for a bit in terms of plot and just enjoy a character-driven romance. I'm looking forward to reading more by Gonzalez. :)

I love that Ben and Lily end up changing and growing together. I also love the moments where he is possessive or shows affection for her. I wish there was less drama and mention of Ben’s ex. I also am tired of MMCs being commitment phobes or wanting casual flings. He even admits to sending her a bunch of mixed signals. I would have preferred the MMC grovel more but that’s just my preference.

I ate this book up! I signed up for the ARC because I live in Miami. I didn’t realize that the author did as well until the acknowledgments at the end. It was so fun to read stories about places I’ve been to. And the book very much has a Miami vibe, it’s fine, funny, and light. Even the darker topics in the book are handled in a very subtle way that doesn’t leave negative feelings.
This is definitely the perfect summer read for a day at the beach on Crandon, while yelling at your kids, not to touch the man o’ wars! 😂
The found the family and instant support the friendship group forms in this book is definitely true of my experience in Miami.
I joined a book club and bam 14 best friends, easy peazy.
Ride or die !
I think there is so much superficiality in Miami that when you find someone(s) you click with here, you hold onto them for dear life, and you are not willing to risk them at all.

The book might be a romance, but it is also a story of friendships. Yes, there was initial attraction between the main characters, both of them wanted more but we’re willing to take less if that meant keeping their friendship. Both characters cared so much that they weren’t willing to lose the other, even if it meant there would be no romance.
And if that isn’t the romance you want then I don’t know what is! Someone that loves you and once you’re happiness more than their own.
Even though I love how everything wrapped up in the book, I really want this to become a series.
You get to know the side characters so well that you don’t want to not be able to find out how their lives shape ip and their love stories and. Hopefully, it will!

I don’t think this was for me. Wasn’t what I thought it would be . I thought maybe this would be a book about the buildings residents and their love stories

DNF at 20%

Unfortunately this book is just not for me. The FMC quit her job, is staying at a hotel on the beach for the summer and is in a room across from the hot local bartender… And that’s the whole plot. Personally, I’m not a fan of insta-love unless it’s done very well, and this just didn’t feel believable.

Lily has just quit her job in corporate law and is planning on spending the summer in Miami, lounging, drinking, and reading. Ben, who she runs into at the bar is also planning on having a fun summer, as her new brooding neighbor. When the two of them start a romance book club, other residents start coming to them for romance advise, which they are all to happy to give.

initial thoughts: I too have wanted to quit my job in the most disastrous way possible and take the summer off to fuck off to Miami. Our FMC Lily is kind of reaching with her ‘first love’ getting married being the catalyst for quitting her job? (they dated in high school/college and she’s 30! get over it!) Benedicto is giving me big hottie w/ a thick mustache vibes (in a good way, he is not described to have a mustache but I picture it too clearly to let it go I fear)

25% in and i’m sorry the insistence on this fiction book review app is kinda grating on me, then they mention their (Lily+Ben) review went ‘viral’ ?? bit of a stretch for me. also I think the characters establishing that they are friends but continuing to flirt and Lily bringing up that she ‘doesn’t want to be anything more’ but then questioning what Ben thinks of her (in a romantic sense) is kinda irritating?

hey so like maybe don’t poke fun at asexuals??? we get enough from literally everyone else thanks!

‘I fell in love with Ben Romeo at 8:04pm’ ma’am you have known this man for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! W H A T ????????

okay wrapping this up. didn’t like this. they kept saying they were just friends and then shamelessly flirting and then we finally get Ben’s who backstory and it’s just like…okay…great…

this feels like a 2nd draft if I’m completely honest. while I didn’t dislike either of the MC’s I certainly didn’t like them either. I think we could have had more fun with the setting and other characters in the building (given the title)

overall a fine time but maybe pick this one up at the library

I loved the cover and the catchy title. I loved the location and feel of the building. It reminded me of the feel of Only Murders in the Building. It was fun, flirty, and fast-paced.

As I was reading I felt like something was missing to hook me in. The third person POV was really throwing me for a loop. I wanted to see the character develop more and didn’t get that for some reason.