Here’s another quick reading contemporary romance! Magda is struggling with being independent, making better life choices, and paying off her student loans. Magda tries to sell a vacant lot but she encounters Ty, who is working with the local residents in turning the said lot to a neighborhood garden.

These two start out as ‘slight’ enemies because technically, they are friendly with each other, they are just on opposite sides. There are a lot of steamy sexy times ahead, even one on the rooftop!

Romance aside, this book touches on different topics like handling family pressures, dealing with a death in the family, the values of community, and some yummy dumplings.

All in all, something I surely enjoyed. I will pick up the first book of this series, Playing House, and will read the next one, too!

A fun easy read that follows Magda and Ty as one must sell the land an illegal community garden stands on and the other tries to save it. They may be on 'opposite' sides, but the attraction is strong and hard to resist. They may argue every time they see each other, but thats not all they want to do! At the same time Magda is trying to sell a town house for her Uncle that he does not seem to really want to sell whilst attempting to make her family see her as more than a failure.
Ty is struggling to not get attached to anyone and distance from everyone has become a habit. His sister has decided to move away from New York and he is torn about following her. Either way he is determined to save the garden before he leaves!
Short and sweet, and a fun easy way to spend a couple of hours.

This was just... not for me. The writing style was very much lacking. The characters were... not great.

This was an okey read. It felt a little rushed, especially the relationship between both main characters. I wasn't able to connect with them, and their love story felt really flat. Many of the side characters that appear in the story didn't brought anything interesting to the story. It was a quick read nonetheless.

book 2 of this series was really sweet! We had a bit of oh no we're on opposing sides of this thing but i like you?? trope and the author balanced this so well. I loved Ty and Magda as individuals and together.

I love a blushing hero and Ty does that a couple times :)

Magda was great! She's struggling to find her footing in her current job, real estate. i liked that she and her sisters didnt always eye to eye because siblings don;t always get along. She eventually calls her sis and mom out for how they treat her like a child (she's the youngest) and that scene with her sis Flora felt so real and needed.

And let me just tell you that the budding attraction between Magda and Ty was just so satisfying! Steamy times on the roof awww yessss. Also, Ruby totally writes about food in such a sensual way. The dumplings! Made me so hungry.

The house Magda's trying to sell and the garden Ty's trying to protect felt almost like characters in their own right. We get to learn what both places mean for the community, and the characters. Both MCs are at each location a lot and I loved how everything was all wrapped up!

I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next book in this series !

Such a delightful, heartwarming romance! I thoroughly enjoyed this and loved in particular:
- the diverse characters of different backgrounds, ages, cultures - all with so many authentic and vivid back-stories
- the heroine who's struggling with and for her own worth, identity and path in life
- the hero who's having a hard time accepting affection of any kind while the community and heroine see him for the warm, supportive man that he is
- the on-topic story of neighbourhoods going through transformation and the effects it has on people who've been living there their whole lives
- the setting of a community garden! How enchanting!

This was my first book by Ruby Lang and I would definitely recommend this. Open House is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.

P.S. This comes with a content warning for death of a parent, cancer, and grief which are part of both main characters stories but are dealt with in a sensitive way.

P.P.S. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in advance of the official publication date. My views and comments posted here are my own and reflect those of a dedicated romance reader.

I loved this heartwarming, but quick romcom. It's an enemies to lovers story line, but with undeniable chemistry. I devoured it in one sitting and I'm still finding myself thinking of it days later. This book was very entertaining and I had me laughing and swooning all at the same time. From the very beginning I was rooting for them to end up together and that kept me reading on until I reached the end. Also let me just say that roof scene is 🔥🔥🔥!

Even though this book is similar to a novella length and I wasn't wanting for anything when the book wrapped up. The book was well written and the characters were extremely likeable. Lang delivered a great book and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Oh, this book was super cute. Magda and Ty were adorable. It was a sort of enemies to lovers thing but not really enemies... but they were on opposite sides of the issue of a community garden. I enjoyed the flow of the tale and the back story of both characters. It added to their appeal. The resolution was great and gave me the warm and fuzzies.

I'm not even sure where to start with reviewing this book. It's about so much more than just the (really wonderful) romance between Madga and Ty. It's about found families, and finding your footing. It's about facing your fears, about establishing boundaries and tearing down walls. The amount of growth Ty, Magda, and even several side characters go through is just... Wow. Open House manages to be at once a light, charming enemies-to-lovers romance and also a deeply profound exploration of the self.

Ty and Magda start out on what seems like opposite sides of a battle, but they're both drawn to each other and try to resist that pull. Even when they're enemies, Ty still stops to make sure a walking-home-alone-at-night Magda is okay and safe. Even when they're on the outs, Magda works to do what she can to help the community Ty loves so much. I have two black thumbs, but this book make me want to go dig in the dirt with these people and be a part of their beautiful sense of community.

This is the second book in the Uptown series, but can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the first book, Playing House, but I definitely am picking it up after how much I enjoyed this book!

I felt the beginning of the book was slow and I just felt detached towards the characters. It wasn't until halfway through the book when I actually started liking the characters. The story itself is actually quite cute. It's not exactly enemies to lovers but close enough because they're on opposite sides. I also liked Magda's uncle, Byron. When he started showing up more, I think that was when I actually took an interest in this book.

The book itself is short. I wish the author expanded more on some things but overall I feel content with the ending and it was a cute story.

This enemies to lovers centres around Magda and Tyson who are at odds over the sale of a community garden. Technically, it’s the second in a series, but it can act as a stand-alone. I really enjoyed the premise of a community garden. It was very unique.

I’m not huge on the third person POV for enemies to lovers romances, particularly because I’m always looking to get inside the character’s head. But that’s just my personal preference! The relationship between the love interests is a little different than most enemies to lovers, as they don’t outright despise each other and are quite pleasant to each other throughout. I also would have liked more depth for Magda and Tyson.

I will say, the steam was well done! Further, the community and urban setting description really made me want to go to NYC! Overall, this one was a nice, quick millennial romance read that was tied up quite neatly. I think it reads well as a nice palette cleanser.

Thank you @netgalley and carina press for this ARC ❤️

3.5 Stars

This series grew on me with this second installment featuring the battle between nemesis Tyson Yang and Magda Ferrer.

OPEN HOUSE is a meshed of complicated feelings. The alternate voice between Magda and Tyler clued readers in on their personal turmoil and restlessness (which corresponded to to what I felt IRL at times, that made both characters as real as it gets). It’s easy to understand their reluctant attraction that warred with the opposing intentions (which often causing arguments) they had over the garden. But it’s rather sweet that no matter what they also wish the best for each other.

Also making the story livelier were the assorted rollicking characters that made up the Street Garden Collective and our MCs’ own family. The exchanges and palpable actions either or both Ty and Magda endured (while facing off with them) were some of the source of hilarity that had me cackled. I did find this book more enjoyable - not to mention emotional - than its predecessor. The pacing of the story felt steadier here, the growing attachment (of our star-crossed lovers) convincing - considering the hurdles on their path. And as a non New Yorker, the little details thrown into the story (about the background of the city revival) is interesting to follow.

My token vexation was things not fully resolved between the Ferrer siblings. Oh, I get that people always evolved and stuff, and it’s plausible for such - shall we say - open-ended closure to their “quarrel.” I guess a sibling in me picturing similar occurrence (happening to me and mine) and wouldn’t be happy if it’s not fully resolved. That’s all.


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Magda thinks she's finally found the perfect job, but is struggling to keep her head above water and her student debt while also trying to sell her grumpy Uncle's Harlem townhouse and the vacant lot next door which isn't quite so vacant. She's also beginning to have feelings for the handsome Tyson Yang even though he's actively working to prevent her from selling the property to anyone but his community garden friends.

Two people who are chafing at their respective circumstances find out they may just be perfect for each other, but need to figure out if they are willing to risk giving up what they both think they need in order to be together.

Sweet and oh so steamy, I loved this! Absolutely delicious consent featuring a blackout, a rooftop, and a sleeping bag that doesn't survive the sexy times. Also some great phone sex.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

This was a fun read however, I wanted more. The story felt quick and not in the "fun quick read" type way. Magda and Ty's relationship was cute and I can definitely see the relationship becoming something of substance and be fulfilling. But I needed more to make this a well rounded novel. The conflict was well plotted and the characters felt well-rounded, but together something was missing.

I enjoyed this romance, and now want to check out book 1 in this series.
I found the chemistry between the characters to be compelling and enjoyable. Enemies to lovers is sure a trope I like!
Having it all center around saving a community garden was super nice as well. Haven't read a romance like that in a very long time. I hope there will be more in this series.

Magda Ferrer has started a new career.... again.  She's a real estate broker.  Drowning in debt thanks to student loans from past career paths that tanked, she has to make this work.  It's hard to believe in herself, though, when her family doesn't even think this one's going to work out.  Uncle Byron has helped out... in a way... by allowing her to take over the listing of his house.  The issue is, with all the renovations he's doing and the fact that no offer is ever good enough... well, the house has gotten quite the reputation among the broker community for being unsellable.  She needs money, and fast.  When her boss tosses her an empty lot she figures this will be relatively easy money... except that there are squatters.  She has to evict the adorable grandmothers that have taken over the lot for a community paradise that also grows veggies.  These women won't go quietly, though, and they found the perfect spokesman.

        Tyson Yang is still reeling from the death of his mother and the desertion of his father.  His life revolves around work, his sister Jenny, and helping the neighbor ladies in their community garden.  When Magda shows up there one day, he thinks he got lucky- a gorgeous woman that might want to spend time in the garden.... except that she doesn't want to help, she wants to sell it.  Thus starts the Harlem stand-off.  Neither one can budge from their mission, and yet the attraction will not be denied.  Can the two find a way to coincide, or will this be war?

         After reading Playing House, Ruby Lane I knew I wanted to read the rest of this series.  It was adorably quirky and I just loved the characters.  That said, I had high hopes for the second installment and it did not disappoint.  While I will say that I found it harder to connect with Magda than I had Faye, it was still a great time with fantastic characters.  Written in duel narrative, it allows you an in depth look at both Ty and Magda; something I always appreciate.  It was easy to understand where they were both coming from, and both of their issues and personal problems.  I loved how they interacted, and how Ty interacted  with his support crew.  That said, I did not liked the way Magda's family treated her like she was still a baby.  Honestly, Byron was my favorite and even he was an ass for the majority of the book.

      Now, the story relied pretty heavily on the sexual tension between the two main characters, and some of it was a little... not explicit, but verbose.  I have never been one to feel like a single sexual encounter needs three paragraphs or a page and a half.  Maybe I'm a prude?  If the characters and the rest of the story is good enough I can look past that, as was the case here.... but is all that necessary?  For me, this one could have been five stars but that fact knocked it down to four.  

     On the adult content scale, there's language and sexual content.  I would say that this is definitely geared toward and 18+ crowd.  Let's give it a seven.

         I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.  My thanks.

While this is the second book in the Uptown series this book is very much a standalone and can be read without reading the first book (which is exactly what I did!).

This was an extremely cute book and the chemistry between the two main characters is honestly what made this an enjoyable read. I love a good enemies to lovers trope, even if this a somewhat mild case of it. I respect Magda's hard work and dedication to her job and Ty's passion for the community garden.

It was an extremely quick read, one I found impossible to put down but found that there were a lot of questions left unanswered. I think I would have preferred the book to be longer just so that there were no loose ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Carina Press for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute!

This is the second book in the Uptown Series, although it can be read as a stand-alone (as I did). I liked this book but it felt like it was the first in the series; like the author was easing into writing their first novel. It just wasn’t anything to write home about. I felt like there was something missing and things ended too easily, yet there were still some loose ends that felt left untied.

I loved the diverse MC’s and their chemistry was undeniable! The history the author incorporated into the storyline was also a nice touch and I would’ve liked to have seen that further explored.

Towards the end, things wrapped up far too easily in my opinion. The way things were resolved could’ve happened from the beginning so it was like the story was drawn out for no reason if only to have the MC’s fall for each other. There were also some loose ends I was curious about that were never wrapped up; did Magda and her sisters eventually work out their differences? Did Magda end up receiving from her sisters what she was seeking? What happened with Ty’s sister moving? What became of Byron and his lady friend? So many questions, so little (no) answers.

I’m interested to see what else this author has in store regarding romance novels...even if only to see what the chemistry that awaits the next set of characters!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was not a fan of this book. I just didn't mesh with the writing style. You can't win them all though......

Cute!

An issue-driven romance with a lot of heart. Loved the NY setting and that things like gentrification, student debt, etc were well woven into the story!

Magda is trying to sell her (difficult!) uncle's town house and the nearby empty lot. She really needs the commission, as she's drowning in student debt and wants to get back on her feet.

That empty lot is really important to Tyson - it's a community garden that brings his neighbors together.

The enemies to lovers theme was fun and readers who aren't familiar with urban community gardens will hopefully find this a fascinating topic. Romance is slow burn but steamy when it gets going.