I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Lily is a lawyer, working hard for everything shes accomplished. But when one too many little things pile up while on a business retreat, she quits her job and decides to stay in Miami for the summer to reset. While there, she runs into Ben, a professor and poet. Who happens to be her new neighbor. And who is just as obsessed as her with romance novels as her. As the two of them read books together and start critiquing them, they begin posting their reviews online. And when they are asked to do a professional podcast together talking about not only specific novels but the genre of romance in general, the two of them are forced to face the chemistry between them.

What I really liked about this was the characters -- not just Lily and Ben, but the rest of the residents in the building. Also, I liked the fact that there was no third act break up that everyone knows I absolutely hate! Which made this so much better in so many ways. The books the two of them read together and the way they talk about them was really cute, and the podcast was so fun because the banter between the two of them was perfect. There wasn't much depth to this as it felt very surface lever with a lot of the emotions, and things were resolved extremely quickly, but I had a good time reading it. There were a few moments that felt a little awkward, but overall I thought it was well done for a cute romance. I would definitely recommend it.

The audiobook was fun, and the voices the narrator does for everyone was nice.

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez was a fun, summery read that gradually pulled me in. I’ll admit—I wasn’t hooked right away, but once the story found its rhythm, I was all in (well, listening in—this was an audiobook ARC, thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio).

The story kicks off with Lily abruptly quitting her NYC job and escaping to Miami, where she stumbles into a cute, slightly awkward meet-cute with a bartender/professor who turns out to be her new neighbor. What follows is a sweet friends-to-lovers journey as Lily and Ben become co-hosts of a book review podcast and, inevitably, something more.

I really enjoyed the way Gonzalez wove in themes of friendship and family—those dynamics added real heart to the story. That said, I was a little thrown by a dramatic wedding moment involving Ben’s sister (during the actual ceremony!) that felt a bit over the top—especially considering she still went through with it. But hey, family drama keeps things interesting!

While I wasn’t totally in love with the audiobook narrator, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story itself. This was a solid, feel-good read—perfect for summer—and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Nadine Gonzalez.

I originally picked up Only Lovers in the Building because the title and cover immediately caught my eye, but I stayed for the characters.

This story was such a fun surprise! I absolutely loved the two main characters. Both smart, successful, and full of chemistry. Their banter and dynamic felt natural and compelling from the start.

The book also included so many of my favorite elements: a podcast, a summer vacation setting, a charming little book club, and of course, a slow-burn romance that pays off in the best ways.

The side characters, especially the other residents in the building, really brought the story to life. Each one had a distinct and quirky personality that made the building feel like its own little world.

Overall, this was a feel good, romantic, and engaging read with just the right balance of heart and humor. If you’re looking for something light but layered, definitely give this one a try!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Nadine Gonzalez for the chance to read this ARC!

This is the perfect summer, beach read! Romance, character growth, a fun cast of characters, and a gorgeous Miami setting. I had a great time listening to this book, Aure Nash did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.

I love the discussion of romance novels and the commentary on the various tropes used and how they differ in "real life." While I am usually hate the miscommunication trope, Lily and Ben resolve the issue and the novel ends with a very cheery note.

Escape the heat with this light-hearted beach read featuring sunny Miami vibes, vibrant Art Deco architecture, and an amusing poolside book club.

On the surface, Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez is a whimsical tale that unfolds in a fictional world of pools and cocktail social hours. The book’s revolving door of entertaining apartment dwellers and fast-burning chemistry is a lovely reprieve.

It’s a fantasy that explores the romantic “what ifs” of quitting your day job and starting a new life in a new city where the champagne is flowing and there are endless warm days of reading by the pool. Throw in a quirky building with historical accents and a hot professor as your neighbour, and this Miami-set romance is a penthouse of blissful encounters.

Lily is just the right amount of bubbly and outgoing to counterbalance the more immature tone that women in romances often adopt. Ben has a saltry delivery that certainly makes buying into this relationship easy from the start. The new neighbours are a lot of fun to be with, offering a refreshing, no-nonsense banter that cuts to the core of their desires.

There’s no beating around the bush with Ben and Lily. They vocalize their interest in eachother from their very first meeting, and that is a breath of fresh air.

Only Lovers in the Building also dips its toes into analyzing popular romance tropes through the book club at the centre of this novel. If you enjoy meta rom-com discussions and tongue-in-cheek plotting, the well-read couple at the heart of this love story offer thoughtful discussion about the highs and lows of the genre.

Despite their self-awareness, these romance experts can’t avoid the pitfalls of all the rom-coms that came before them.

Ben and Lily have a sizzling chemistry and an epic back-and-forth banter, but there’s not much else. The book doesn’t delve far into the inner depths of these two as individuals and relies entirely on their sexual attraction in place of character development.

Unfortunately, much of the book reads this way. This Miami fantasy sometimes feels excruciatingly fictional, with interactions that are too stiff and superficial. Everything about Lily’s new world comes too easily, from free drinks to new career opportunities. The book doesn’t introduce conflict for her to overcome, resulting in a very shallow victory. Ultimately, it creates the same cycling thought process of whether she should stay with Ben in Miami or move back to New York City for much of the story.

None of the characters in this vibrant ensemble of residents feels like they could be real people, and that leads to a setting that lacks a lived-in feel. The Art Deco building is exciting in concept, but never transforms into a three-dimensional structure.

Most of all, it is disappointing to see this book’s beautiful cover and eye-catching title go to waste. The premise has so much potential that it never acts on it. Despite the title being a play on the show Only Murders in the Building, the podcast is an afterthought. The author could easily remove the podcast from the story, and it would not affect the narrative’s trajectory.

Only Lovers in the Building proposes a laid-back escape from reality at the cost of leaving an impression on its readers.

This charming romantic story is perfect for a day at the beach or when relaxing beside the pool. The characters are likeable and well-thought-out and the narrator was fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great summer beach read! Perfect for book-lovers as it's not only about summer romance but also a friendship based on a love for books and writing reviews. Sign me up!

Lily is a lawyer who suddenly quit her job after credit for something she achieved was given to a man on the team--she was done. No thank you! Instead of flying home to New York, she decides to stay at an AirBnB in Miami for the Summer---a self-proclaimed "sabbatical" as she decides what she wants to do next in life. While there, she plans to start reading romance novels and write her reviews on BookTap - sharing her thoughts and opinions with the world.

Ben is a poet and professor who moonlights as a bartender--he meets Lily in their shared apartment building. An instant attraction, but also intrigue with a shared love of reading. He has a haunted past, struggling with the recent death of his father, and is also aiming to do some self-discovery over the summer. He is intellectual and suave, and also loves to discuss the merits of a good book.

The summer romance book club slowly invites a fun cast of characters and friends from the building: we have...
--Noah, Lily's first friend in the building and looking for his own fun summer fling all the while.
--Kylee, a private chef struggling with her own love interest dilemma.
--Jeremy, the young twenty-something guy who has a mystery job and is crushing on another in the building.
--Sienna, a swimsuit model and influencer who is also searching for a "high value man."

Friends to lovers
Miscommunication
Will they/Won't they
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Love that the FMC is a strong, independent, and overall confident character. Though she is sad about her current job situation and a previous relationship-gone-bad, Lily seems to still have maintained her self-worth and can appreciate when she looks and feels good in her body--she is never self-deprecating which I found very refreshing. She is highly professional and at the same time is unafraid to make some bold life decisions and choices based on her own wants and needs. This was wonderful for overall powerful female vibes.

Ben came off a bit confusing to me, struggling with what he wants to get out of the summer and also out of his relationship with Lily, but despite being a poet--seems to struggle with how to articulate this adequately. Love his relationship with his close-knit family, and his ability to read any genre of books even if just to partake in the fun and social aspect of it all.

Favorite Quote: "Noah gave her a look so sharp, it could cut through her bullshit like butter." 🧈 YES! Noah's the absolute best.

The audiobook was narrated by Aure Nash---she did a wonderful job, and really was incredible at giving different voices to the different characters--so much so that you really knew who was speaking before given any context in the writing. There were times I wondered if the personality she gave to the main character, Lily, may have changed how I viewed the book as opposed to me reading it and having my own interpretation. While wonderful, I did find it shaped who the main character was to me. There were times I found the pacing slow, and I was almost irked by Lily being so wishy washy with her thoughts on a possible relationship with Ben, and wasn't sure if this was due to the way it was written or the audiobook aspect of it.

4 stars overall because this was a fun read, but wouldn't necessarily choose to read again (which equates to a 5 star review for me)--mostly due to pacing as I felt it could have been a bit shorter.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review!

#NetGalley #ARC #HarlequinAudio

Lily is not typically impulsive, but after quitting her job at a law firm on a corporate retreat, she decides to stay in Miami for the summer instead of returning to NYC. While she only intends to take a short break to recover from burnout and relax, she soon finds new friends and romance in the building she moves into.

This is a sweet lighthearted summer read. I did want to shake Lily and Ben at times, but I think it helped the book was self aware of this fact. I found the building characters entertaining and I did thoroughly enjoy the book club and discussions of romance books and their tropes.

Tropes
* MMC reads romance books
* FMC quits job
* Found Family
* Neighbors
* New Start
* Vacation/Summer Romance
* Close Proximity

3.5 stars

Only Lovers in the Building is like the cozy, bookish rom-com your podcast-loving heart didn’t know it needed. The characters had great chemistry, and I loved how their shared love of reading and podcasting created this smart, slightly nerdy spark between them. It’s heartfelt but still fun, with just enough emotional depth to balance out the flirty banter. Definitely one of those feel-good reads that makes you want to start a book club—or fall in love with someone who already has.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Rated 14+ for language, sexual references, and romantic content.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the free alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This is a great book to read at the beach or poolside. Thankfully the narrators were good and kept my attention however the story didn't wow me. I was expecting perhaps another direction but great vacation read.

3.5/5☆

Suggest to give it à try.

"Gentlemen?! National geographic has confirmed that species extinct"

The book follows Lily, who books a summer place in Miami Beach after an unexpected and fairly impulsive detour in her legal career. While there, she meets Ben- a professor and poet and the two form a connection through shared interests and unexpected close quarters. Their story unfolds after a misread meet cute, flirting and tension, and lots of time spent together as they try to navigate what is next in their professional and personal lives.

The story has friendship, chemistry, close proximity, and one of my favorite components in romance books- bookish characters.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook because of a podcast element to the story line. The change in writing and audio makes the listening experience more dynamic. Having listened to hundreds of audiobooks, my main critique is the voice and tone of Ben. The narration was intermittently awkward and did not seem to really match how he is written.

Overall, I would recommend this book to a reader who is looking for a fairly lighthearted listen and particularly enjoys culture, miami beach, and bookish content.

Anyone looking for a fun and sultry summer read should look no further! Set in a Miami high rise packed with quirky loveable characters and brimming with odes to romance tropes (literally), this is the perfect escape to read poolside.

Lily needs to get away. She's just quit her job in spectacular fashion and booked a flight to Miami Beach on a whim, determined to spend the summer relaxing and figuring out her next move. Ben has won a prestigious grant and is using his summer to sort out some things in his personal life. Both of them decide that reading romance novels by the pool is the perfect way to spend their afternoons. Soon, Ben and Lily strike up a friendship over their choice of reading material and a poolside book club is born. Everyone in the building can see the sparks flying between them, but neither Ben or Lily is willing to make a move. This classic slow burn friends to lovers trope will keep you turning the pages!

I loved the podcast scenes in this book, and the discussion of the different books they read were really fun to listen to. I also adored all of the neighbors in the building and everything they added to the story. Narrator Aure Nash did such a good job with the different voices, I definitely forgot this was a single narrator. The way she did Ben's voice - it was so sultry!! This is definitely a great summer listen, perfect for people watching while you're at the pool or staring at the waves on the beach.

Phenomenal narration!

This book is sparkling wine and lux brunch with the bookish crew. It's insightful and spirited conversations and a sprinkle of glam and luxury. This is sunny Miami with found family and heated book debates. Very a'la only murderers in the building but it is book lovers!

A bunch of neighbors form a romance only book club, and they read it all together. I mean all, from the raunchy taboo stuff to the airy yet insightful romances, which causes for such deep and lively chatter. The debates on books is honestly amazing, I was giggling all while listening and reading. I like that this book toes the line of romance genre to women's lit, it really was exceptional blend.

Perfect Summer read!

Only Lovers in the Building was a delightful summer read. Now, granted that there are ample parts of this book that feel like “romance reasons,” but honestly I was drawn in by the characters and the humor.

Lily was out there checking her life boxes and feeling adrift, so naturally when all of that stares her back in the face and she realizes that it’s time for a change…hello impulsive decisions! In comes a summer in Miami full of books, new friends, interesting neighbors, and a hot professor who can make you a delicious cafecito in the morning and a dirty dirty martini at night. OLITB also very much leans into the bookish social media world. Kind of like The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee, it plays on this as a fun and cheeky nod to romance readers and reviewers. Is this a trend in contemporary romance now? But back to Lily and Ben: there is so much cute flirty banter and moments between the MCs. The chemistry is palpable. You can tell right away that these two tontos are a match but also fighting it. Loved the friends group and neighbors angle - everyone looks out for each other and shows care! We need this!

THE NARRATION WAS AMAZING!!! I will absolutely be picking up anything and everything else by Aure Nash!

My two quibbles are these:
1) mentions of smoking/vaping are gross
2) the pivot between story formats (podcast episodes, journal entries, online lectures) was challenging to distinguish in the audio. While it’s easier to see those distinctions in print, there needed to be a little something more to clarify the switch in audio.

Very cutesy! I was drawn to the title but should really be called "only book lovers in the building" since they're all in a book club and basically are all bookstagrammers and have a cute little podcast comparing tropes to real life. Oh and there's a bit of romance in there too but it's a slow burn (that kinda dragged too much IMO). To be honest there was a lot of the story that felt very slow and like nothing was really happening but I was glad I pushed through. Thank you for this eALC!

This one was quite light but still pretty good. I think it’s a solid pick for a fun summer read with Miami vibes. I especially appreciated the community feel of the story, with the book club and podcast elements adding a nice layer of charm and relatability. The supporting characters were a real highlight, bringing more depth and color to the narrative.

I listened to the audiobook through NetGalley, and I think the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life. There was clear attention to tone and inflection, during character switches and also during emotional moments, which added a lot to the experience.

As for the narrative, the romance felt a bit awkward at times. Lily was believable given her situation, but her pessimism made it harder to fully root for her. Ben was somewhat inconsistent. He was indecisive a lot, which made their relationship feel uneven.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the audio ARC.

I loved this audiobook! The perfect summer beach read.

Friends to lovers
Banter
Tension

I loved the mentions of book, tropes & reviews. It was a cute way to see tropes applied to a book as you’re listening to the book, like “breaking the fourth wall”

This book is fun, flirty & bingeable! I loved it!

ARC Review
Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓️ July 15, 2025
Format: Audio🎧

After a high-stakes moment of professional betrayal, Lily Lyon walks out of her corporate law job in New York and lands in the heart of sun-drenched Miami. What was meant to be a short escape turns into a transformative summer when she checks into The Icon, a vintage Art Deco building brimming with eccentric neighbors, colorful stories, and a sense of unexpected community.

Among the new faces is Ben—a bartender moonlighting for his sister, who also happens to be a poetic soul, a professor, and a fellow lover of romance novels. Their connection is immediate, but what makes it shine is the slow and deliberate way their relationship develops: from neighbors, to book buddies, to podcast co-hosts, to something more intimate and lasting.

This book is a love letter to fresh starts, quiet reinvention, and the power of books to bring people together. The romance between Lily and Ben is a classic friends-to-lovers arc, with just enough tension, humor, and heartfelt moments to keep you invested. The shared bookish banter, late-night reading sessions, and thoughtful gestures made their chemistry feel genuine—even when the premise pushed the boundaries of believability.

Gonzalez does a great job creating a vibrant setting that almost becomes a character of its own. While I wished for a bit more of Miami’s heat and flavor to seep into the pages, The Icon’s quirky tenants and cozy, found-family atmosphere made up for it.

Not everything was perfect—some of the dialogue felt a bit too polished or similar across characters, and the ending came together a little too neatly after such a well-paced build-up. Still, the charm, warmth, and emotional beats hit just right.

If you’re in the mood for a summery romance with smart, literary characters and a dash of escapism, Only Lovers in the Building delivers. It’s heartfelt, humorous, and quietly hopeful—the kind of book that feels like a warm breeze on a lazy afternoon.

📚✨Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced listeners copy. All opinions are my own.

I first saw this book in Kirkus Reviews and was intrigued by the title, so I was excited whenever I received an ARC from NetGalley. I love the idea of the FMC taking a sabbatical in Miami, making friends with her building neighbors, and starting a book club along with a budding romance. However, this concept is not executed smoothly and there are some rocky elements in the plot and characterization. I wish there is more depth to the characters and that there is more sizzle to the chemistry between the main characters, but overall it's still a cute story and I look forward to seeing what else this author comes up with in the future.

2.5 Rounded Up! I loved the concept of this book and requested it because of that. That being said, it was not holding my attention very well. The romance didn't hold up well in my opinion! I do think this is a good one if you are just looking for a book to breeze through. I also think that the podcast element was cool and relatable. I could see how a lot of readers would enjoy that portion of the book.