Contemporary romance is always a toss up for me. It’s a genre I really enjoy but MOST of the time I find myself ROLLING my eyes, cringing at the mushy dialogue, frustrated with characters that just can’t communicate and annoyed with plethora of “coincidences.”

This book, however, NAILED IT. I did not cringe. I did not eye roll. I didn’t want it to end while also rushing to the ending to see what would happen for Nora and Will.

The story takes place in Chicago, but the apartment building the two live in is so charming it feels like it takes place in a small town. The pair are *hardly* enemies to lovers. It’s funny. It’s tender and sweet. There’s a sweet community of characters that are Nora’s and Will’s family by choice.

I really enjoyed my time with this one. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a sweet romance with some depth.

Well done 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. Such a treat to be able to read this one!

Love at First will be OUT on 2/23/21 and I highly highly recommend you add it to your TBR 💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CW: loss of parents/loved ones, emotional neglect
Also... be aware that there is some steam! 🔥

I absolutely adored our leads and their journey both individually and as a unit (LOL). Nora and Will are just how I like my leads to be aka not awful people! This story is about 2 people with differing opinions about a major issue and how they learn to navigate and find a compromise that works. It was done really charmingly and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The secondary characters were charming and full of life, and I will miss them all. I also vastly appreciate that there was no redemption of the truly awful (thankfully few) characters that cropped up.

A charming book which I enjoyed it immensely.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC

Love at First was simply fabulous! Kate Clayborn really created two wonderfully believable characters in Will and Nora. Their initial meeting as children was clever...even though they weren't both aware of it. Unfortunately, it was tragic that it occurred on one of the worst days of Will's life. This burden he endured made it very difficult for him to eventually give into love and allow himself to really live life.

Nora carried her own baggage. She was extremely close with her grandmother, but not so much with her parents. I was heartbroken for both of these characters in the way they had been treated during their childhoods. It definitely affected both of them into their adult lives. Nora and Will have a great enemies to lovers vibe with each other. I also found the secondary characters to be a huge part of this story and Ms. Clayborn created a wonderful group of them. They definitely were integral to the plot and enriched the feel of the book in general.

I believe this is a story that can speak to people in different ways. It's very subtle, but powerful. Open your heart to all of these characters when you read this book and you'll definitely be rewarded for it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I have voluntarily chosen to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

3 1/2 STARS

I loved the other Kate Clayborn book I have read (Love Lettering) so I expected to really like this book too. In the end it didn't quite do it for me.

THE GOOD:
This is an Enemies To Lovers story with plenty of sweetness and a lot of fate. The apartment building that the leas characters both own a unit in is filled with well-written and hopelessly endearing side characters that we come to love.

And the ending of the HEA is so swoon-worthy and so insanely heartfelt that you will close the final cover and sigh a contented sigh.

Clayborn tackles so really good topics like grief and loss as well as healing and forgiveness. Those topics were done well and with sensitivity and truthfulness.

THE NOT-AS-GOOD:
This book was pretty sad throughout and it read as fairly heavy. I guess the way the book was marketed led me to expect a lighter read. But if you're up for a bit of am emotionally fraught romance you will likely love this one!

As I mentioned, this is an Enemies To Lovers romance, but it has no bite at all. It's very light on the usual trope staples: snarky banter, clap backs, tricks, pranks, teasing, etc. It hardly feels like it belongs in this trope. More like "Reluctant Lovers".

Overall this was a pretty GOOD read, but not a great read for me.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: attempted parent abandonment, emotionally distant parents, death of parent, death of grandparent, elderly injury, estranged family

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Will Sterling hears a girl laugh from a balcony above and for a couple of minutes it’s a bright interaction that he will never forget, the one bright moment in a terrible situation. Fast forward to sixteen years later where he ends up in the same spot and an opportunity to rent his newly inherited property. This causes problems with the rest of the privately owned apartments above him and where he meets Nora Clarke.

I love this book, I love this book, I love this book. This is an enemy to lovers relationship but even when they are at odds with each other they can be begrudgingly sweet. I like that in any attempt to sabotage each other’s plans it’s never some grand nefarious scheme. It’s always a light, kind of funny attempt and you know they are both still good people. Will and Nora are not perfect and it is touching to watch them grow and work through their problems both separately and together. We also get to meet Nora’s neighbors who have become family and all have their distinct personalities and it’s a joy to read about them and their quirks.

It is a pretty realistic story with an ending alone that is worth everything. It’s definitely a five star book for me and I pre-ordered it when I was done to have my own physical copy. Kate Clayborn’s writing is beautiful. She has become an auto-buy author for me with this book. I can’t wait for what she does next.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

2.75 stars

Love at First is a story that lives between worlds, not really knowing whether it wants to be a quirky rom-com or a sincere Nicholas Sparks-esque epic romance. There are definitely some really fun moments throughout, but it never really found its footing for me. Each character was reduced to either a very specific piece of baggage or a very specific quirk, making this feel rather flat and half-hearted. While this was not my cup of tea, I can absolutely see its appeal for other readers who just want something to escape into. To them, I say, happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This was one of the most beautiful stories of two ordinary people in ordinary circumstances who find an extraordinary love.

Will meets Nora as a 15 year old when his mother takes him to meet his uncle he previously did not know existed.

Years pass, they lead their lives, Will becoming a doctor who inherits his uncle's apartment and Nora living and owning the apartment building when her grandma passed away.

They have a truly beautiful and slowly rising love story, with each of them trying to silence their own inner demons and take a brave step forward into what they want their life to be and trusting that the love they feel is something they can trust and that can last.

This book also had a strong found family aspect, an out of this world swoony caretaking scene, and a nerdy in the streets passionate in the sheets hero.

I love Kate Clayborn stories. Books are great and have that love story you want. Read her stories over and over again. Read it.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Urgh, Kate Clayborn has done it again! I know that not everyone loves Kate Clayborn as a romance author, but I find her romances to be the perfect amount of quiet, heartfelt moments with a mixture of real-life-driven, but still fairly light, angst.

In this kinda enemies-to-lovers, we follow ER doctor/workaholic Will Sterling and eco-brand web designer Nora Clarke (side note: I feel like Kate Clayborn picks the most fun, random professions for her characters, which I love) as Will is forced to take on his recently-deceased uncle's apartment in the building Nora has just inherited from her beloved grandmother. Will's childhood and lack of communication with his Uncle mean that he can't get rid of the apartment fast enough, which sets Nora and the rest of the delightful, and mostly elderly, cast of side characters who also live in the building down a path to try to stop him from turning it into a rental property. Love obviously ensues from there.

Speaking of, the side characters here were some of my favorites parts of the novel (Gerald is definitely a new favorite), but I also just appreciated Will and Nora's dynamic and the way they both helped one another through their different grieving processes. There were also quite a few moments that made me tear up here, which seems to just be a trend for me and Kate Clayborn's romances. Love at First has definitely confirmed for me that she is one of my all-time favorite romance authors!

Thank you to Kensington Books for providing me with an early e-copy of this work through Netgalley. Love at First comes out on February 23.

I’m a fan of Kate Clayborn’s romances, from the Beginner’s Luck trilogy (which centers on three friends who win the lottery) to Love Lettering (a romance focused on fonts?! Yes, please.). I’m adding Love at First to my collection.

What do I appreciate about Clayborn’s books? Her characters are so well developed: nuanced and flawed and quirky. They’re not over the top. But they’re vivid enough to feel distinctive. Love at First centers on Will, a doctor, and Nora, a graphic designer who works from home. They meet—officially—when Will inherits an apartment from his uncle, and Nora, who manages the building, tries to convince him to act in the best interests of the other tenants. Nora moved to the building to take care of her grandmother, and after her grandmother’s death, she cares for her neighbors and friends and tries to preserve as much as she can in honor of her grandmother.

Unfortunately, Will has different goals: he wants to rent the apartment, and since it’s quite outdated . . . that means renovation. Nora? Not a fan.

Will and Nora’s central conflict stems from the way each was raised: Nora saw her grandmother’s home as a place where she felt secure and loved—her parents traveled every summer, and so it was a place of stability. For Will, who was neglected by his parents, stability is not a priority because he’s never had it.

As the two get to know each other, they’re surrounded by an ensemble of zany secondary characters, the neighbors who were Nora’s grandmother’s friends and act now as her family. They’re grumpy and eccentric, but they’re also kind and wise and brilliant, and they’re a great backdrop to Will and Nora’s relationship.

There’s some humor here, but I wouldn’t call it a rom com: it’s a gentle humor that contributes to the warmth of the story Clayton tells. I also appreciate the unique premises of Clayton’s work (lottery winners, font specialists, and unique apartment buildings with velvet wall paper(!) build quite a resumé). I absolutely loved this one, highly recommend it, and can’t wait until Clayton’s next romance.

Thanks to Kensington Books for an advanced copy of Love at First.

So this is going to be an unpopular opinion. I absolutely loved Kate Clayborn's first book Love Lettering but Love at First fell flat for me. The premise was fun, but unfortunately the book just didn't deliver.

I found the main female character Nora, boring and the relationship seemed a little too forced.
It was a little too slow burn for me and while I usually love enemies to lovers, this just didn't have the appeal.

I know that I'm in the minority with this opinion.

"Love at First" is a cute little romance with pretty complex characters. Both Will and Nora are loveable, and I was invested in both of their backstories. There are a ton of quirky, endearing side characters too, and I loved the general concept of the story. It's sweet, it's light, it's fun to read, and oh do I love a good found family in my books!

I did think that the conflict between Will and Nora felt a little forced at times - they really had no actual reason to consider each other enemies (though I'd argue they never really did but just pretended to), and both of them suffered from a heavy dose of instalove which is a trope I don't necessarily enjoy. I prefer there to be more (real, not forced) obstacles, more meat to the development of the romance. And a part of me really would have loved for them to actually meet back in the days when they were teenagers instead of it being a one-sided thing.

In the end, I'm pretty sure I won't remember much about this story in a few months. It's not a Stand Out kind of romance full of new ideas and groundbreaking characters. But it's a really enjoyable, well written, quick and fluffy read, and that is, after all, what I want and expect from my romance novels.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the arc!

Will first noticed Nora when he was a teenager visiting his estranged uncle and heard her voice from the balcony of her grandmother's apartment. Years later, she is living in her grandmother's apartment and he has inherited his uncle's, which he wants to turn into a short-term rental. Very sweet story about Nora's learning to adapt to big changes and Will allowing other's into his life and care for him.

I really love the charm of Kate Clayborn books. At times, I could be frustrated with Nora but I also liked the realistic way that they went about love, slowly and with purpose. I loved the evolution both her and Will went through over the course of the book and the pacing was strong. The only thing I would change is that there are times when the descriptions can be a little long; three paragraphs to describe a feeling. In those instances, I did do some skimming. Overall, I really enjoy her books and find them a delightful get away from my realty, without being too cheesy or unrealistic. I look forward to posting about it on my instagram tomorrow.

Thank you to both Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Love at First by Kate Clayborn in exchange for my honest review. This was the perfect story to read during Valentine's Day weekend, it had just enough romance and cheesiness to carry the story. With most romance novels in my opinion, it's pretty hard to come up with a unique story/conflict without becoming cheesy, which was really my only qualm with this story! The slow burn of Nora and Will's relationship was totally obvious but designed well for the reading to truly enjoy the journey. I loved the side characters too, especially Jonah and his use of nicknames like "Beanpole" for Will! It's hard to imagine an entire apartment complex feel like a family unit, but I guess if the same residents lived there for over 20 years you would get to know all the tenants pretty well! If you're on the hunt for an easy romance read to sink your teeth into, look no further than Love at First! Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

Love at First by Kate Clayborn. Kensington Books, 2021..

Will first sees Nora on a day when his life changes forever. She is thirteen and he is two years older. They meet again when he inherits an apartment from his uncle. Nora already owns her late grandmother’s apartment in the six-flat building where the other owners have become her family. Their story begins with Will’s plan to register his unit for short term rentals instead of living there himself for the year his uncle’s will requires before selling.

Will and Nora are credible and easy to care about. Each suffered a lack of childhood love and security so grew up accustomed to feeling alone, and are now hesitant to recognize and embrace their feelings. Their story spins out slowly as they fumble their way toward each other. There is enough descriptive detail so readers know and understand how the two main characters feel. It is a slow story, like slow food, to be savoured, not rushed.

Writing and character development is impeccable. Supporting characters are quirky and consistent. Readers will likely recognize their own family and friends among them.

This lovely book was my introduction to Kate Clayborn’s work. I have a second ready to read.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Love at First free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #LoveatFirst #NetGalley

Kate Clayborn has an amazing gift for building such sweet, warm, and deeply thoughtful worlds within her stories. Love At First is no exception! Will and Nora leap off the page with their chemistry and their depth. And as a native Chicagoan myself, the supporting cast of Chicagoan neighbors completely stole my heart. This book made me feel a part of the family in a way few other stories ever have. It was equally swoony and poignant. I truly cannot wait to revisit it!

Loved this one! Kate Clayborn has created a beautiful story about a doctor striving to not live to passionately and falling for the one woman he can't forget. Nina and Will were such a beautiful couple. Will is struggling with the complicated emotions related to cleaning out his estranged Uncle's apartment. His arc throughout this story was really natural and felt so real. Nina is such a bright character who has such a deep desire to protect the tenants in her late Grandmother's apartment complex like they are family. The tenants are fantastic as well and have very distinct but great personalities and made the story even better!

I would definitely pick this up if your wanting a romance story with a great couple, interesting side characters and a slightly slow burn. Clayborn's writing is so atmospheric and engaging I couldn't put this down! Highly Recommend!

Kate Clayborn has done it again! She wrote such a warm, heartfelt, lovely romance. It has bits of so many delightful tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, even a hint of second chance romance. The secondary characters get their own impressive development, and I love the found family aspect of the neighbors.
Nora and Will are so sweet together. Their emotional growth throughout the bookwas wonderful, and I adored the grand gesture moments. This book was the perfect read for Valentines week!

I picked up Love Lettering on a whim one day, shockingly read it the same day, and fell in love with Kate's writing. When Love at First popped up on here I almost screamed - I was so excited to read something else of hers.

This was... THIS WILL BE one of my favourite reads of 2021. I just loved Will and Nora and the whole makeshift family Nora had for herself in her building. I loved the character growth and the pacing of the story was just right. I liked how playful it was at first, and how you felt the shift at every intended moment.

I think what I love most about Kate Clayborn is that her writing always makes me feel like holding my breath. Not because of suspense, but because of the whispered moments between the characters that feel so intimate at even the smallest gesture. I felt like a fist was wrapped around my heart.

Anyways, I could go on and on about this but honestly, bottom line is I loved this. I can't wait until everyone gets to get their hands on this one.