Early Book Review: How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan is the follow up to Ten Rules for Faking It, and is currently scheduled for release on January 18 2022. You do not need to read the books in order, but returning readers will be glad to see cameos and have a prior understanding of our hero and his brothers. 

Grace Travis definitely has it all figured out. In between finishing interior design school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree. She’ll have her dream job. And most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her cold, manipulative mother could never make for her. When an opportunity to fix up—and live in—an adorable little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door. Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. A real estate developer with a knack for betting and winning big, he’s not one to let a good opportunity slip away. So when a beachside house with great bones is ripe for a remodel and flip, Noah doesn’t hesitate. Except in order to spruce it up properly (is it even a beach house if it doesn’t have a pool?), he’ll need to take over the house next door. The house with the willful and combative and way-too-intriguing woman living in it. With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can turn out to be the person who shows you that home is always where the heart is.

How to Love Your Neighbor is a romance that starts of with a favorite trope of mine, enemies to lovers, but quickly loses the enemies bit. Grace is an independent woman, working hard to make it on her own and with more than a little difficulty accepting help. All of that is something I can relate to. I liked her drive, and the way she looked for the silver lining in just about every situation. Noah is struggling with settling into a new place, figuring out what he wants from life, and getting out from his father's control. The battle between Noah and Grace over selling her house quickly sparks other fires, and the book quickly goes down that path. I did not really get the grumpy neighbor or bickering that I expected. However, their friendly banter and open communication was well done and fun to read. I liked the design descriptions and watching them grow closer, but I will admit to waiting for a big conflict to spur things into action, but when it all came to a head I was a little underwhelmed. For those interested in heat level, I will let you know while the chemistry between the pair is very well done and sizzling but all intimate moments are closed door or fade to black. 

How to Love Your Neighbor is a sweet book with some charming and humorous moments. Fans of the author will not want to miss it.