⭐⭐
Cute contemporary romance. It took me a little while to warm up to this, but I enjoyed it and the writing is lovely.

Will hears Nora on a balcony in his estranged uncle's home and is intrigued by her. Moments later, he leaves, his life forever changed and doesn't see her ever again. 16 years later, his uncle dies, leaving him the apartment. He reconnects with Nora, at first not realizing it's her.

So the initial plot is kinda flimsy... He, a 15Yr old boy, is enamored of a laugh and blurry outline and 16 years later, still remembers it. Not since Prince Eric and Ariel has a man fallen so hard for so little.

Nora and Will are pitted against each other, with him wanting to turn his uncle's bequest into an Airbnb, and she... not liking it. Again, we veer into some odd territory. Nora is obsessed with preserving every memory of her dead grandmother through the apartment building (a strange outlet!). Her attempts at thwarting his plans are toothless and they end up bringing them together.

There is a lot of work put in by the author to sketch out characters and their inner lives (motivation, insecurities, etc). The connection between Will and Nora is always there, but their acknowledging it pretty much takes until the last page.

A few things about this book did not connect with me. The white-ness... Everyone is white. It's fine, but even her BF Deepa (So. Asian name, so prob not white, but no description) has no POV that indicates her to be anything other than white. IDK if I'm explaining it well.

Also, Will and Nora's parents... Guys. (MILD SPOILER) Are white people ok? No one's parents loved them bc they loved each other and their work? Huh? Is this a thing? If it is, I'm sorry, I love you and wish you well.

Finally, I wasn't going to go here, but here I am. When I think about a close community of friendly neighbors who look out for each other... The image is often low income, and/or immigrants and/or black and brown people. Maybe I'm alone here, or maybe this author (and many others) decided this community of people is lovely... But what if it was white with no financial concerns? And wrote this book.

Premise was hard to swallow, but lovely, twee characters abound is this story of found families and community.

#LoveAtFirst #NetGalley

Another gorgeous book from Kate Clayborn. This book is exactly what I needed at the end of 2020: soft, kind, and hopeful. I thought the start was a little confusing at first because Clayborn was alluding to things she didn't want to reveal until later in the story, understandably, but weren't especially needed for the flashback to when Will was a teenager. After that, the story of Nora and Will falling in love takes off. As always, the characters are complex and feel like friends by the time you've finished the book. Also, the supporting characters are developed enough to add to the story without taking away from the primary romance. It's really a master class in character development. Absolutely recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is in the perspective of Will and Nora who almost meet as kids and officially meet again as adults in an apartment building with a "family" sort of feel. I must admit that the main characters kinda fell a little flat for me for the first half of the book and I didn't really understand where the conflict was really coming from. However, it all came together as I kept reading. I absolutely loved the other characters in the book. I could imagine them being the comedic relief in a rom-com movie. Overall, it was a cute book. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Earlier this year when I read Love Lettering, I could not stop recommending it to people and the word I used to describe it was “tender”. Get ready people because I’m going to be just as annoying recommending Love at First!

Will Sterling first encounters Nora Clarke as a sullen teenager on the balcony of the building where her grandmother and his uncle live. Sixteen years later, Will’s uncle dies and leaves him the apartment where he meets Nora and her crew of neighbors and solicits their ire by having the audacity to turn the apartment into a short term rental.

Watching Will and Nora fall in love feels like a privilege on these pages. They are whole human beings with dysfunctions and hang ups and so much love. The entire cast of neighbors (and Gerald and Sally!) are integral to how tender and delightful this story is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions contained here are my own.

Love at First follows Nora and Will, who both end up as owners of units in the same apartment building. Nora, having lived there every summer with her grandmother, inherited it after her grandmother’s death. Nora loves her new home and her chosen family within the building. Will, on the other hand, reluctantly inherits it from his uncle, whom he never knew. To the utmost horror of his neighbors, Will wants to turn his unit into a short-term rental. Nora makes it her mission to show Will why the building and its residents are so special.

This is a mild enemies-to-lovers story that gave me all the feelings. This book dives delicately into some harder topics such as: losing loved ones, resisting change, finding your chosen family and, of course, finding love. To me, this book is not only about their love story but about their path of healing together.
Will and Nora are both complex characters, who are written perfectly. In addition to the main characters, their neighbors are all wonderful in their own quirky ways. Everyone in the book felt very thought-out and real.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read Kate Clayborn’s next story!

I’ve read everything that Kate Clayborn has written, and I’ve enjoyed it all, but I think this might be my favorite. This book is similar to Love Lettering in that it’s set in a city with a couple who shouldn’t get along but get to know each other. I liked this even better than Love Lettering. Clayborn’s biggest gift is her exquisite use of details. I have to slow down to read her books because every sentence matters. She often describes feelings through small physical sensations: the way it feels when two palms touch; the way a new shower curtain allows you a little more room to extend your elbows. A towel bar is a not-insignificant plot point in the book! All of these details creates a feeling that lingers even after you finish the book. It is hard to sum up the way Clayborn’s books are special, except to say that reading them—and having the characters revealed—is the most wonderfully dramatic process. Everything is so deliberate. This isn't a book to rush through. The devil (and delight) is in the details.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Kate Clayborn is a new author to me. I stumbled upon her books earlier this year when I needed a break from all the troubles of 2020. I have to say that I am a huge fan. Her books have characters with real issues. Of course, it's a romance novel, but it just feels like a good story. She doesn't dwell on the sex, but rather on growing the relationship of the characters, which makes it more believable and a great read.

Will is 15 when he falls in love with a girl's laugh. It lights him up inside and makes his heart stumble. He never gets to see or meet her, but his stolen moments under a tree in her backyard mark him. It was a sweet moment right before his world upended.

Fast forward 16 years. Will is now a doctor and has inherited an apartment from an uncle he never really knew. The only catch is that he cannot sell it for a year. The apartment is very dated as well as the building where it resides. The tenants are all elderly, except for the woman on the 3rd floor - Nora. Turns out Nora is the girl he heard all those years earlier.

Josh is intrigued by her, but feels that he isn't cut out for any kind of lasting relationship. Residual trauma from his parents. Nora is also smitten with Will, but his determination to turn his apartment into a sort of Air BnB puts her feelings at odds.

Working through their issues and developing their relationship is just so sweet. Clayborn introduces the quirky neighbors into the mix which layers in the depth. She also takes her time with the story, once again making the reader feel like their getting a glimpse into a real life romance. You can't help but root for Nora and Will. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Love at First was everything I ever needed. After reading Kate’s previous book, Love Lettering, I was totally prepared to immerse myself back into her amazing storytelling. Told in third person, the author writes from both Will and Nora’s point of views. We see glimpses of their lives separate, but the best pets are when they come together for a scene. Will and Nora both have difficult pasts but have handled it in very different ways. Each character goes through an intense time of growth, and it was heartwarming to see how Will and Nora challenged each other to be their best selves.

The friendships in Love at First are perfect! Nora lives in a strong community of elderly people, and it’s clear they act as a family. Each side character is fully developed and it’s easy to fall in love with them. Nora also has a friend in her coworker, and despite the difference between them, their bond was clear and relatable. Will differs from Nora in that he doesn’t really have any friends. The only interactions we see with others outside of Nora’s community is with Gerald (his boss) and Sally (his rental helper). While he has trouble connecting to people on a deeper level, I loved reading about how he started as coworkers (of sorts) and ends up with friends.

The conflict of this book was strong and there were many turning points where the characters had to make decisions of how to move forward. This book starts with Will and Nora as potential friends and/or lovers. But then the news drops that Will wants nothing to do with the apartment he inherited, and plans on renting it out for some extra cash to pay off his student loans (I’m sure many can relate). The potential of a relationship turns into enemies as Nora wages a campaign against his project. The two fight their attraction and desire for connection because of this barrier. Like all good romance books, this one ends with a happily ever after.

(Side note: I love friends to enemies to lovers tropes!)

The pacing of the book was spot-on. At first, it seemed to be moving quickly, but about halfway through I realized that the single event of the apartment being rented was not necessarily the main focus. As we got closer to the end, I found myself wishing there was more. The end, however, was exactly what I needed and I thought it was wrapped up very well.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC in return for an honest review.

I read Love Lettering by the author, and loved it, but this one! All the feels! So, so good!

Nora and Will; Will and Nora. There's so much between these two, so many emotions, and I was right there with them the whole way.

Nora and Will have a somewhat of a similar past growing up. She with parents who were too busy, spending her summer with her Nonna; he with parents who couldn't be bothered with him. The difference was, Nora and Nonna and the tenants where Nonna lived, like a family of their own. Will didn't have anyone else. His parents have both died; Nora's parents are alive and abroad, but her Nonna has died.

When Will's uncle dies and leaves his apartment to Will, Will finds himself in the same apartment building when Nora lives. He recognizes her as the same girl he once heard when he was sixteen, the girl he's neve forgotten.
When Nora finds out Will is only there to clean the apartment and put it up for short-term rentals, she becomes defensive and embarks on a little plan to make him change his mind.

Will is an emergency room doctor and while he knows how to charm people, he doesn't know how to connect, how to let them in. Nora has her misfit family of neighbors and is very protective of her circle.

Watching these two become friends and lovers, and fall in love along with way, was a supreme treat, an amazing reading experience.

The writing is phenomenal, the cast of secondary characters is quirky and indispensable, and I really loved this story.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

So with "Love at First" Kate Clayborn brings a new novel about two unlikely characters who find love.
The book begins 16 years before the main story, where Will is kinda visiting with his mother his uncle, who he never have met or even heard of. While the adults are talking he is exploring the backyard of the apartment complex where the uncle lives. There he "meets" Nora, who is currently visiting her grandmother.
But somehow from the very first page Will seemed to me a little stocky, refuses to wear glasses to not become unpopular even if he can't really play baseball due to his bad eyesight. And than everything changes, abrubtly his mother and he are leaving and someone only the voice of a girl from upstairs stays with him.
Fast forward 16 years later, he inherits the apartement from his uncle, who he still never had any contact, and now decides he wants to rent the apartement, because for him it is too far away from his work.
But all the residents of the complex do not like it, that there will be a new tenant, especially one, who is not staying himself, but rather renting it out.
So in order to convince him that they do not want to become an AirB'n'B, they show him, how they are like a big family and care for each other.
Some of these interferences were quite funny or amusing, but in the end it was not really to my liking.
I got the impression, that somehow lots of times acts or thoughts were just told but never really shown. The discussions between Nora and Will were sometimes hard to follow, because even if e.g. Nora wanted to say one thing, until she said it, it took ages. Also her thought process was non-existent. Suddenly she decides she wants to change little things in her apartement, but how did she come to this decision? It was really often just telling me, the reader, of a decision, but not how she came to it.
Even if there are lots of paragraphs describing a scene, somehow it didn't really say much.
Also the lovestory itself between the characters? I myself didn't really get, why Will likes her so much, or what Nora sees in Will. Maybe Nora is in Wills eyes a little carefree? I don't know. Like I said I was unfortunately not really convinced of the love story.
There were some tender moment, like on the beach between them, but still no big feeling for me.

Still I want to thank the publisher Kensington Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reading Copy.

I enjoyed this book. It felt a little bit slow at first, if only because I couldn't really understand Nora's perspective and thought she was being pretty selfish. Will had lost his uncle, who he said he wasn't close with, and Nora took it really personally that he wanted to rent out the apartment. I just couldn't understand any reason why this would be a big deal, or why it took her so long to try to understand why he had no interest in moving in permanently. Once she actually listened and tried to understand him, the story picked up steam and ended up being really sweet. I may have liked some resolution/insight about the relationship with Donny--did he really just have no interest in getting to know his nephew, even after Will's parents died? But those things don't always resolve neatly in real life either, so I'm willing to accept that he was just an imperfect person who had a chosen family in his neighbors.

This is my first Kate Clayborn novel and I completely understand why people love her books so much. This was a very sweet story with deep characters and great plot progression. Additionally, Clayborn's writing style was very easy to read and enjoy, which I appreciate.

I was initially worried that the story was going to be unrealistic and dramatic because of the premise and the summary of the book. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how realistic the book and its characters were. Clayborn did a great job creating realistic main characters and a realistic supporting cast. I had a great time reading Will and Nora's story. I loved the way they went from infatuation then met again years later to not get off on the right foot and end up together in the end. This book addressed great topics such as family, belonging, second-chances, career, etc. This book was a fanatical yet modern and realistic romance which I enjoyed very much. By that I mean that sometimes there are those contemporary romance stories that are so fantastical and farfetched they don't seem like they could happen in real life, this book was fantastical yet seemed like a feasible story. I felt like I was reading a story that happened in real life, which I love in my contemporary romances.

Overall wonderful story. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick and sweet yet meaningful read.

- 4 .5 stars -
(Rounded up to 5)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kate Clayborn for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was thrilled to receive this book. I absolutely adored Love Lettering and have become an even bigger fan of Kate Clayborn due to the Fated Mates podcast. I’m usually a very fast reader but found myself slowing down to read this so I could savor the characters, descriptions, and dialogue, which is a sign of a really good book. This is the first book in a long time where I literally have no complaints. None.

I loved both Nora and Will. Both were complex, full people who were written in a way that that provided the perfect amount information at the correct time to pack the perfect punch. At times what was revealed was absolutely devastating. In addition to Will and Nora, their neighbors and friends were all delightful in their own ways. Everyone just felt very very real.

I will say that while this book does check all the boxes of a typical romance it does go a few levels deeper which could easily put it in the category of women’s fiction. I’ve seen some people refer to it as a easy romcom, and to someone who a lot of literary fiction or suspense it probably is, but this book is not haha funny. Yes it’s warm and has a happy ending, but the topics of loss, community, change, and friendship explored in the book are not taken lightly. To me this was the story of two people finding healing through each other and found family.

I’m trying really really hard not to spoil the book so I think I’ll stop writing. This is one that I will likely come back to again and again. I can’t wait for whatever Kate Clayborn has next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love at First, written by Kate Clayborn and to be published February 23, 2021, is a delightful read – a hug in a book! Sometimes what we need most is just to press pause on our busy lives, get rid of all the noise, and listen to our heart. This book did just that for me this week.

Will Sterling first meets Nora Clarke when he’s a teenager, a lost soul with poor eyesight. He didn’t actually meet her, he heard Nora from her apartment balcony while he was outside waiting for his mom. He never forgot her. It wasn’t until he inherited his uncle’s apartment 16 years later that he realized the girl next door was ‘her.’ Unfortunately, clearing out his uncle’s apartment is the least of his worries. The owners are up in arms once they learn of his plans to do upgrades to their building prior to listing his suite for short term rentals. He didn’t make a good impression with Nora and now she’s spearheading a campaign to prevent him from listing with the rental agency. Will he patch things up with Nora before the renters arrive? Is it worth it? Perhaps being an overworked doctor is all he can handle at the moment. He certainly doesn’t need an apartment full of bickering neighbours. Oh, but her laugh….maybe he should make the time.

This is my first Kate Clayborn novel and I really loved her writing style. This isn’t just a romance novel, it’s about community, grief, family, belonging, second chances, and the mysterious power of love. I loved that she created a strong cast of secondary characters. The other suite owners, a delightful, eclectic, yet loveable, cast, are as important to the storyline as Nora and Will. The sense of community is tight, and readers soon begin to see that they are Nora’s chosen family and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect them. This is a sweet, quick read that will leave your heart full and put a smile on your face.

Thank you, Kate Clayborn, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. The romance between Will and Nora is so sweet to watch unfold. I really enjoyed the journey the main characters took to find love. The host of characters that Kate Clayborn has written to help them along were so fun. I highly recommend this book. It's a run, easy read with a rewarding end.

Will and Nora, a pair you meet early on in this novel and can't wait to see where the story is going to take you. I was instantly taken with Will and the heartache of his childhood circumstances. I just hoped Nora wasn't going to be taken along as his crutch, thankfully she is delightful all by herself.
I loved the wide array of characters in this novel and the gradual growth that both Nora and Will showed with each other, From the pranks to the hesitant help to the need to have each other around, the story was beautifully held together by a sense of community and meant to be that this year needs in a feel-good book.
I will admit that I still struggle with the author's style of writing, that it sometimes still feels a little bit too prose-like, however I felt this was much improved on Love Lettering, where I barely felt I got the story at all. I sometimes felt I was having to jump to the end of a paragraph and then back because there was so much,
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the a stay very late to finish kind of book. Take that for a warning and a high praise. 

Nora has lived in the same building for a long time, it was her grandmother's home, the people there became her family. Her world is disturbed when a new tenant arrives. 

Will had just inherited an apartment in the same building, his uncle,  who he had only seen once, left it to him. He doesn't want to move in there but he could use the extra income by renting it for short periods. 

Nora doesn't want the building's dynamic to be affected, she doesn't want anything to change. Her plan is to make Will see this by any means necessary.

Their relationship begins with them sparing and trying to win the other. The romance is gratuitously developing and it is the peak of the book. It is a bit of a slow burn giving them both time to know each other and develop feelings long before they act on them. 

The writing is very clever, full of witty remarks which made me laugh more than once. The side characters are very loveable and you want to see them being happy and get another look in to their lives. It is a book about love, friendship and the family you choose. 

I just want to say that I completely loved this book! 

* I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.

Love Lettering was on of my very first Netgalley approves when I first started this reviewer journey. I knew I absolutely have to devour this one by Kate Clayborn.

Clayborn has such a unique writing style. I appreciate how we are able to truly get into the character's heads that she creates.

This plot started with a view of a fifteen year old boy's point of view. We see a small snippet into this adolescent before we dive fully into the present. Sixteen years later we find Will is an adult, but we are still vague on the details.

He meets Nora, again. His past becomes his present as he tries to understand what he needs to move forward. I realize this is vague, but I do not want to give any spoilers.

Obviously, we are going to see Will and Nora navigate a path towards love. The path is a bit tricky however. There will be shenanigans, family drama, and some home improvement tensions.

I personally struggle with the long awaited pace in build ups in romance novels but I feel this one was appropriately paves. I did take a bit, and I was anxious for this.

Clayborn invested us well in their past and present lives and allowed us to fall in love with their falling in love.

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advanced reviewers copy of this book for my honest opinion. if you are a fan of slow burn romances I fully believe you will love this one!

Once again Kate has written this super sweet book that just makes me swoonsh and go "awww" in many parts. Will and Nora were great! From the prologue where we see a young Will who doesn't even see Nora but falls for her laugh, I think I was hooked.

Then they meet again, sixteen years later, and he realizes it's balcony girl! Things soon take a turn because Will is branded the enemy since he's gotten their apartment building from his uncle, who left it to him in his will, and the tenants are not on board with Will's idea to fix up is uncle's place and us it for short-term rental space. It just isn't done!

This leads Nora to exact some light sabotage which was so perfectly funny. Will isn't please but it makes for some great moments between them and the other tenants.

There's a strong theme of family in this one and we see that for both Nora and Will family holds different meanings. For Nora's it's everything while Will's relationship with his was fraught.

I loved seeing how everyone went from "who the heck is this man?? why is he here??" to really falling for Will just like Nora did. The tenants grew on Will too! He didn't stand a chance quite frankly.

There were so many cute scenes in this, le sigh. And I will say that the sex scene were perfectly balanced between being sweet and packed with emotions and hot! He gripped her plait, and I was here for that ;)

A few qualms I had: I feel like Nora's best friend, Deepa, could have had a deeper characterization. Now I'm assuming from the name that Deepa is Indian and yet I don't think we get a single indication of what she looks like or much about her. Only that they work at the same place but Nora is now working remotely in Chicago so we get scenes with them taking online then she visits her later on in the book but we get whole descriptions of Nora and Will who yes are the MCs but I needed more for Deepa. And not just have it feel like we know the barest of things about her.

Also, Will randomly calling Nora baby didn't feel natural for him? It didn't seem to ring true for his character and came across as clunky to me and not cute. I don't know man try another pet name or something lol

But overall I enjoyed this book!