I just did not like the characters and the story was a little over-the top sweet? ish? or so it felt like.
It was okay, but not amazing or somehing i would read again.

2.5 stars.

This is a fantastic Christmas or holiday read that is full of festive spirit, holiday decorations, and a love story! I loved reading this for the holidays, it gives you a warm and cozy feeling like a holiday hug!!

I was completely gripped by this story and was impressed with the writing quality. I was entertained throughout the story and would not hesitate to recommend this book.

Lots of us can resonate with being unlucky in love but it gives us all hope it can work out alright in the end. A good read which makes you want to keep reading.

This is another Christmas novella by Mary Monroe that I enjoyed. Felicia Hawkins and Richard Grimes work at the same company. They’ve known each other for years and share a seat on the bus each day, but can’t seem to share their true feelings for each other. Richard is a widower with two daughters and he and Felicia have shopped together for gifts for them and others in his family. She loves him, but is afraid he is already involved with someone else. Friends and family can see it and get involved in trying to bring these two together. Can Christmas magic finally show them that what they really want is right beside them.

The story is told through the alternating viewpoints from Felicia and Richard. The transitions are well done and the POVs complement one another. I enjoyed Mary Monroe's descriptive writing and the plot of the story. Although it was a novella, all the characters were well developed. I really enjoyed Felicia's grandma, who was fun and a bit sassy. Richard's relationship with his daughters was great. They showed how much they cared about one another through their actions and banter. I liked the message of sharing your feelings, and not being afraid to do so, don't let fear hold you back and being happy when someone your care about it happy. A cute Christmas story with a bit of Christmas magic.

This is a cute office romance centered around the holidays. Light and enjoyable storyline.
#rightbesideyou Copy courtesy ofnetgalley.

This book was amazing! It is such a make-you-feel-good story line. Richard and Felicia's story is so true to life. Many times, friendships grow and turn into relationships. Hallmark movies are referenced in the book, and this would make a great Hallmark holiday movie--maybe next year! I have never been disappointed by a Mary Monroe book!

Right Beside You is lovely holiday romance. Its a quick read which I love this time of year. I woll read more by this author.

The simple concept; friends who become partners in business are attracted to each other but are afraid to act on their feelings thinking it will hurt the business and or the friendship. I started out really liking the story but it started to drag. It could be that I like more decisive, risk taking characters. All in all a nice story.

I have not read anything by Mary Monroe before and Right Beside You is a good start. I enjoyed this quick read. I give it three and a half stars.

Felicia Hawkins and Richard Grimes work at the same company but in different departments, commute to work alongside each other, and each have a sort of fancy for the other, which they just cannot seem to express. Others get involved in their situation, but things never seem to work out, though they both obviously want “what is right beside”. So, how do they get together? Luckily another person in the company takes matters into hand.

This is a cute, not too long, holiday romance. I liked both main characters and many of the secondary characters also. The story moved along well, and, of course, the ending was holiday well-done. In fact, I liked the ending, though I saw it coming. This is a good, sweet holiday read, like the stories they make into Hallmark movies shown this time of year. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Longtime coworkers Felicia and Richard have been loving each other from a distance for quite some time. With the help of several meddling co-workers, the magic begins. This was a nice, easy read along with an adorable love story. It's the season for kisses under the mistletoe and romance. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely festive read. It was a heart warming romance. It was a wonderful book to read. It was well written and flowed well.

I was drawn into Felicia and Richard’s lives from the beginning, and what a ride it became as two friends with stronger, unspoken feelings for each other finally become brave enough to take that chance in RIGHT BESIDE YOU. Most of what you need to know before picking up this title can be found in the Cover Description. What you won’t find there are two people who truly are good friends, co-workers who hesitate to take that relationship any further because they believe the risk is too great to mess up what they have now. So they love each other in silence, wishing for more until they have to face those feelings, acknowledge them before they lose everything they’ve feared.

Secondary characters can make or break a story for me, and how I adored Felicia’s grandmother. Grandma and Richard’s daughters added those touches of reality that I need to believe in any story. No one lives in a vacuum, so the people surrounding this couple added so much to this story. Some meddling, one determined to win Richard for herself woman (I almost used an impolite word there) but she was very annoying to me, matchmaking friends with good intentions that went wrong, and two people who really do fit so well together if they’d only take that chance and say what they’re feeling. Wrap it all up with the Christmas season and you’ll find a holiday romance that will touch your heart, give you a few chuckles and have you believing that friends make the best lifemates after all.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

A feel good Christmas story of two co workers attracted to each other, but have too many obstacles (real and imagined) in their way. Tis the season for that to change! Well written, touching and humorous. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Such a sweet, innocent love story that happens to take place at Christmas. Incredibly uplifting!

Not exactly realistic, but Right Beside You gave my spirit a lift, which is exactly what you need during the holiday season.

Right Beside You is an engaging, heartfelt work of fiction by bestselling author, Mary Monroe. The story is told through the alternating viewpoints of the central characters. Alternating viewpoints can be tricky and confusing, but Ms. Monroe handles them easily with appropriate chapter headers.

Felicia Hawkins and Richard Grimes work at the same company but in different departments. They’ve known each other for years and share a seat on the bus each day, but can’t seem to share their true feelings for each other. Friends and family are involved on every level, but things only seem to get more complicated, instead of less. What do you do when the thing you want most is right beside you?

Mary Monroe has written another winner. I usually use a lot of big words and talk about the characters, plot, dialogue, scenery, etc., but I’m going to skip that this time and simply say all of that was great. No joke. It was all great and you should head to your nearest bookseller and purchase this book. I don’t have anything negative to say about it and didn’t think anything negative when I was reading it, so it of course rates 5 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

3.5 Stars

Right Beside You was holiday themed romance that revolved around Felicia and Richard, two coworkers and commuters who were friends for long time and fancied each other from afar. It was about love from afar, being happy for someone you love, and letting your loved one know about your feeling before it’s too late.

Characters-

I liked secondary characters. Grandma Lucy was my favorite. She was adorable, fun, and fussy old lady. Both teenage daughters of Richard were loving, well behaved, and disciplined and helped their father in keeping house after their mother’s death. They were so unlike the usual teenagers. Regina was clingy and always following Richard to get his attention and in hope of more serious relation. She added little drama and made the thing interesting. Pam was nosy, meddlesome busybody, but she was honest and good at heart.

Both Felicia and Richard were caring, smart, generous, kind, sensitive and beautiful. They made cute couple. I liked Richard’s banter with his daughters, his good nature and his not-so-coincidental encounters with Regina. While Felicia was such lovely character who helped her elderly grandma, did charity and used her free time helping old people and friends. They both had many common things and respected each other.

They all were developed and realistic.

What I liked-

It was my first book from the author and I liked the writing style, the way author described characters and their life, the conversations between characters were realistic, I liked the chilling wintery setting. The story was told in alternative POV of Felicia and Richard. I enjoyed Richard’s POV more than Felicia’s. Both introduced their family members who were most important in their life, their past life, pressure from family and friends about finding someone to spend life with, and how they turned from just coworker and commuters to friends and lovers.

Title and synopsis said it all. Two lovers knew each other for long time, loving each other secretly, the person they want as life partner was ‘Right Beside’ them. It started with introduction to main characters and people in their life. How Felicia and Richard knew each other and what their feelings were. They both secretly loved each other but couldn’t confess their feelings in fear of losing the beautiful, long term platonic friendship. But as the day passed, they found it hard to keep emotions in and it hurt see other with someone else. The story was all about when and how they will find courage to reveal their feelings or will it be too late by the time they declared their love.

I liked the message behind story about sharing your feelings, put aside your fear; give an end to feelings and relationship, either good or bad, rather than stuck in it that hold you back; and be happy for someone you love in all kind of situation.

I liked Pam’s intervention in the middle of the story. Pam, of course, didn’t prove very reliable friend by doing so but I don’t know what they would have done without her interference. There were some misinterpretation because of Regina-satellite hovering over Richard all the time but by climax it was all cleared. Richard’s idea of confessing his feeling was like shooting arrow in dark, I was sure Felicia would refuse to help him but she surprised me there. Like Pam I felt it uncomprehending, but I got what she wanted to show by helping him and going along his plan. End was dramatically, soothing, and happily-ever-after. I still wonder how they could not hint their feelings, no in-love-behavior or those lovey-dovey eyes?!

Why 3.5 Stars-

All characters in the book were good. Main characters, Richard’ daughter, coworkers, boss and even characters’ date! Well it gave all goody goody feeling but the setback was, no drama.

Main characters were developed, love and feeling was developed, and they knew each other well and were just telling about their life and their thought for each other in the story. It was like platter of delicious food was served, you just need to eat it. No fun in cooking the meal, relishing the aroma or pouring love in it… Likewise I missed the fun of reading their growing love. I felt like I know them alright and understood their confusion but couldn’t feel their feelings. They didn’t make lasting impression.

Overall it was quick, light, cute romance with Christmassy feel that you can read in one sitting. I enjoyed it but it won’t be my most favorite.

This was a well written and cute story. Two people, Richard and Felicia who have been friends for several years, and work together have to find their way to each other romantically. For those of us who happen to be shy and not very vocal, this story gives an accurate account on how we process things as well as our thoughts. I saw myself in the main character frequently. I especially loved the ending, as it did not end in a cliffhanger and felt the ending fit with the way the characters interacted with each other. My favorite character of course was Felicia's Grandmother, and Richard's teenage daughters. This was a very good, sweet Holiday read. It's the type of read that I could see as a Hallmark Holiday movie.

I wanted to love Right Beside You. But I struggled with how certain parts of the story line dragged on, while other parts seemed rushed. It was a slow read but I will read other novels by Mary Monroe in the future.