How to Love Your Neighbor

My first book of 2022!, and it couldn’t be better!

Overall, this book to me was. 3.75 but we can round it to 4!! Grace just moved to her new house that was left to her by her grandparents, and not even a little bit later, she meets her hot next door neighbor (who she has actually met earlier that day after a slight incident hehe

MINOR SPOILERS, CAUTION

2.5 ⭐
I found the cover so cute, it seemed ordinary but gah I don't know I liked it.

This book is a semi enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine trope book.

It contained too many unnecessary details so I skimmed past the dialogues.

One such redundant part is this one where Noah asked his friend Josh out to surf and the latter assumed he was gay:

Josh set his can down, then swept a hand over his slightly-too-long hair. “Right. Listen, man. Sir. Noah. I’m flattered—”“I’m not into you,” Noah blurted. Josh folded his arms over his chest. “Okay. Why’d you ask me out then?”

As per most contemporary romance books, Noah and Grace tried to fight one another's attraction, up till the last breath before the first kiss. But it still happened anyway. With a compromise of not being enemies anymore.

That didn't work well as it should. There were more bickering and misunderstandings here and there. A lot more stolen glances.

And for their very first (supposed because it isn't clear) smut scene all we get it:

He moved over her, kissing her, peace and hunger warring inside of him. Her hands in his hair, their skin touching, her mouth on his; he was drowning.

So the imagination is up to us. But Grace is nice to assure us that Noah indeed isn't lacking:

Ha. No worries in that department. He knew exactly how to do all the things.

Why 2.5 ⭐? It feels too quick that Grace had Noah wrapped around her little finger. It was only a few chapters ago they were at each other's throats. That's why I classified this as semi enemies-to-lovers. Because the angst just suddenly fell flat. Also, Noah went from a grumpy man to a man in love too quickly. I felt there were too many details on the unnecessary plot of Grace's mom and Noah's dad. It felt like Noah and Grace's relationship didn't have the proper depth needed before becoming a thing. The emphasis on the friends and people around the main characters was also more developed than them which isn't to my liking.

But I won't lie that it isn't cute to see Noah try for Grace. I like that he learns and listens to her words and try to love in a language that she wanted:

I’m sorry I didn’t listen but I hear you and will do better in the future.

And they both know how to amend their mistakes. I think two people growing together is heart-warming to read.

So overall, a light-hearted, fluffy, clean contemporary romance. This gave me Tools of Engagement vibes just except with not much angst.

I'll end this review with a sappy quote:

For showing me that happiness isn’t about where you live or what you achieve. A home isn’t walls, a roof, and a floor. It’s a feeling; it comes with being seen and accepted for who you are. It’s finding the person who makes you feel alive no matter where you are or what you accomplish. The person who makes you feel like you could have nothing and still have everything. It’s unconditional love

This book was refreshing. I’ve been in a slump the past few months and this helped me get back into reading.

I loved the meet cute between Noah and Grace. Their relationship was the perfect enemies to lovers romance I needed. It was fun seeing the different ways they got under each other’s skin. I enjoyed seeing each of them slowly fall in love.

I didn’t realize this was clean romance until the end and I wasn’t sad about it. I usually like a little spice in the adult romance I read but I didn’t mind not having that in this one. I felt the story and character’s were well developed.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet romance.

DNF