If Kate Clayborn can write something I don’t like—well, I don’t ever want her to do it. Clayborn’s writing style just does it for me, and Love At First is no exception. I gobbled this book up like my favorite dessert despite election 2020 anxiety and general dread about the state of the world. It made me laugh, swoon, and brought tears to my eyes (which for me is the highest praise, cuz this bitch doesn’t cry over books).

I was a bit hesitant while reading the prologue. I wasn’t sure where we were heading or what kind of story was being set up. Just a couple chapters later, though, I was IN IT. The instant snack-crackle-pop of mild-mannered enemies with instalust when Nora and Will meet as adults...oof, it’s my favorite. Clayborn does a great job of navigating the enemies to lovers balance. The reader understands each character’s baggage and we know that neither one is the bad guy, making the struggle between them that much more heart-achy. Nora deals with her grief by holding on to the past too tightly; Will would rather ignore it entirely. It was moving to watch them learn from each other so they could move forward together.

A standout scene for me (apart from all the doorframe leaning Will does, holy hotness) is the conservatory. I ached along with Will as he realized the depth of his feelings and longed to reach out and touch Nora. It just got me in my feels, dug in the angst claws and tore my solar plexus to shreds (again, this is high praise from me).

I love this book a whole lot. A great romance and a great cast of secondary characters (found family alert)—I highly, highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is the second book by Kate Clayborn I’ve read. I really like her books because while they are sweet and romantic they also have a little heat to them. It’s quite nice to read a contemporary romance novel that feels plausible and has the right amount of drama to keep you interested but not flustered.

Not to say I wasn’t flustered in this book. There were a few times I wanted to yell at Nora and Will to tell them to stop being so stubborn but isn’t the mark of a good book one where you’re emotionally invested?

Anyways, Clayborn’s books are really fun to read. I did enjoy “Love at First” a little bit more than “Love Lettering”. I thought the main characters in this book were a little bit more likable than the ones from Lettering. I would like to see her do a book that’s not the “enemies to friends to lovers” troupe but if she put out another book I’d be first in line to read it.

Love at First by Kate Clayborn
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Will Sterling has inherited an apartment that he does not want. He decides to fix it up as a temporary rental unit.
Nora Clarke cannot allow Will to turn the apartment into a temporary rental. It will ruin their community. Her neighbors are her family and having strange people moving in and out with disrupt everything.
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This book was so much fun to read! The pranks that Nora pulls are hilarious. The enemies to lovers trope is my favorite. And this book delivered on that for me! I laughed out loud, I cried, I grinned and I pouted. I loved the main characters but also the supporting characters were so fantastic and hoe they helped the MC to grow was so beautiful.
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I gave this book 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you very much to netgalley and kensington books for this didgital arc to read! This book is available 2/23/21.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

I enjoyed this one even more than Love Lettering (which I also quite liked). It’s one of the few contemporary romances I’ve read with two point of views lately, that worked really well.

Both Nora and Will have faults, but they are realistic based on their pasts, and it’s just great to read a book in this genre that’s got a different setup than normal.

I don’t want to go into any spoilers, but I would definitely recommend this one.

3.5 Stars

A sweet and gentle frenemies to lovers story about love, community, grief and fate.

Told from a third person dual perspective, 'Love at First' was a cosy, romantic tale which felt a bit like getting a warm hug! It was comforting, heartfelt and made my heart feel tender at times!

This was essentially a girl meets boy story, but somehow Kate Clayborn made it feel like much more. It was full of genuine and loveable people, who had delightful relationships and connections, and yet the main characters had flaws, baggage, and were complex. The secondary characters definitely elevated this story, from Nora's quirky neighbours, who were adorable, to Nora's fun best friend Dee. Most of all though, I loved Gerald! Will's boss Gerald Abraham was just the cutest man! I loved how supportive he was of Will, and how their friendship blossomed, despite their apparent differences! And I loved his little side plot with his ex wife Sarah! The assortment of people in both Nora and Will's life were like a kind of found family, and after both not having ideal childhoods, this was so wholesome and good.

'Love at First' was about self discovery, learning to be yourself, whilst dealing with losing someone, and all the grief, heartbreak and sometimes resentment that comes with that. It was a quiet look at healing, and moving on after losing someone close. Even though Will and Nora didn't get off on the right foot, and had some differences of opinion, they both learnt to start taking risks, showing some vulnerability.

"You don't have to love people the way you learned to love first."
This line kind of broke my heart a little bit! It was perfect for this couple, who after the initial mild pranks, developed respect for each other, were good for each other, and fit well. There was even the odd steamy moment! And that first kiss....

However, even though I enjoyed this, I cannot give it top marks, as I felt there was something holding me back from the main characters. After falling in love with 'The Switch' and 'Dear Emmie Blue' recently, this one didn't feel as emotional? I didn't connect with the main characters as much, and sometimes they felt a bit flat.

Nevertheless, I liked this easy and comfortable read, and would like to try 'Love Lettering' by this author 🍅🍅🍅 1/2

I've read all of Kate Clayborn's books within the past 30 days. In every one, in addition to being entertained, I've learned a little something. In this one, I didn't figure out what it was till close to the end, when Will makes a confession that broke my heart. I learned something from that. I guess you'll have to read the book to find out.

Will and Nora are opposites - he's avoiding his past, she can't break from hers. Somehow, they find each other and figure out how the pieces fit together, until they don't.

There's a sort of sadness to this book through most of it. There's also a few laugh out loud moments. One of my favorite characters ended up being Wil'l's boss, Gerald. Did not see that one coming.

Cute and sweet and overall happy. Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this preview in return for an honest review. If Kate Clayborn keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them!

I don't usually read these types of books, and I had never heard of Kate Clayborn. I now want to read her other book "Love Lettering" because this one was so good, and I really enjoyed it! I didn't realize it, but I truly needed this type of reading, and it was comforting, like binge watching beloved episodes of Friends. You really fall in love with all the characters and especially the neighbors with all their quirks.The author really knows how to capture your heart, and it was a feel-good book to read. It had me grinning and chuckling throughout. I even cried, which I wasn't expecting because I don't usually cry easily. People talk about hugging their kindles during this book, and they're not lying--it really will happen! I highly recommend this book if you want to read a sweet, uplifting, funny, romantic, feel-good story!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this amazing eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My first Kate Clayborn book (can't believe I didn't read love lettering ) . This book tells the story of Will and Nora who met when they were teenagers but didn't really see each other's face only to meet 16 years later at the same building . Instead of being lovey dovey and let's get into it they are bickering . It goes from an almost relationship to a frenemies kinda situation and eventually becomes a friendship . After a stressful week this book was calming and much needed. Highly recommend it

‘Love at First’ reads like…a story written in fanfiction style—albeit well-written fanfic, so this is in no way a slight—from start to finish. I couldn’t put my finger on it and puzzled about Kate Clayborn’s writing style for the longest time until it hit me that there’s so much there that takes up your concentration just to get into the story. It’s ultra-descriptive, very introspective when it comes to the protagonists’ brooding thoughts and in many ways, filled with understated charm that I can see appealing to many fans who go for this type of contemporary romance.

The introduction to Nora and Will was odd, to say the least, involving the vanity of a 15-year-old boy refusing to wear glasses, the briefest of a (blind) meeting involving shouting and tomatoes and some family issues that faded to black before moving to the events of the present day. But the start of the book went rough for me—from the intricacies of their lives to the storm in the teacup spat over the unit and its lease—and I found myself skimming, impatient to just see the whole point of the story (even though it’s got kittens!), only to realise I was thumbing through what was really supposed to be the story.

It definitely got better though the further I went on. There was a lingering cosiness that Clayborn attempted to build here: the idea of a block-apartment family, the relationships they had, the disagreement between Nora and Will, the secondary cast of characters that surrounded them as they journeyed towards their HEA. Clayborn also worked towards a resolution between Nora and Will in a mature way (no shenanigans here) which I could appreciate, ending up with a picture-perfect tableau that at times felt like a side-skip of the heavier issues that Nora/Will faced in favour of a lighter, more warm-hearted conclusion.

It’s a rare thing to find a book that keeps a big smile on my face through out every page. Love at First is so much more than a love story. It’s about found family. It’s about being a little bit reckless instead of playing it safe. It’s about going after what you want. It’s about learning that love isn’t the same for every person in your life, and that love doesn’t have to be the love that you were first taught. Love at First is an extradorinaiy story that will warm your heart.

I love Kate Claiborne's writing and "Love Lettering" was one of my favorite romance novels that I read in the last year, so I was excited to read her new one. I'm happy to report it is a solid follow-up. In a world (and a dating landscape) that is particularly unkind, her characters are all relatively good to each other, even in conflict. Her writing is gentle with the characters' quirks and emotions and somehow allows the plot and the love story to unfurl slowly while never being tedious. My best comparison points are a modern Jane Austen or adult Jenny Han.

What a delightful slow burn romance! Everything about Love at First was charming. I loved the enemies vibe it gave off from the beginning. I could feel the spark Will and Nora had through the tension from the moment they met. All the ways Nora tried to fight Will's determination to rent out his apartment were clever and entertaining. I loved seeing how their attraction turned to more despite their difference of opinion on the apartment. Once it grew from enemies to more, I fell even more in love with the story. Will and Nora were so good together!

I also loved all the side characters. Nora's "family" was hilarious. Each apartment owner had such a distinct personality that added so much to the story. Same with Will's doctor friend and his ex-wife. I loved how well they all fit into the story and made Nora and Will stronger characters. 

There wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. Kate Clayton is one of my new-to-me favorite authors of 2020. I instantly fell in love with her writing in Love Lettering and it became even stronger with Love at First. I would highly recommend this book to romance fans.

I really love this author and her newest book only reinforced that! This story gave me all the tender feelings. It made me feel like I was walking through nature, quiet and profound. The main characters, Will and Nora, are growing throughout the book, both learning to let go of the past and embrace what comes next. This story includes a delightful cast of side characters, as I would expect from any Kate Clayborn book, and vivid descriptions of the apartment building they call home. I especially loved the depiction of male friendship between Will and his boss. Both men benefited from the connection and it was really lovely to watch unfold. As an extra bonus, the title of the book comes around in a very poignant and unexpected way at the end.

‘Love at First’ is a tender, clever, beautifully crafted story written by the inimitable Kate Clayborn.

When Will Sterling was a teen, he found the girl of his dreams standing above him on an apartment balcony. Sixteen years later, Will has inherited a unit in that very same building, and finds himself enamored by one of the tenants, Nora Clarke, who he’s almost positive is the same girl from his childhood. Though their initial meeting is pleasant, they soon find themselves at cross purposes. And so they become friendly(ish) rivals, each set upon achieving their own goals… though neither can seem to fight the connection they share with each other.

Told in dual perspective third person, this story brilliantly follows both Will and Nora through their respective interconnected stories. Clayborn’s writing style is both humorous and poignant as she presents us with two protagonists who are learning how to move through the world amid loss and change. Both Nora and Will have a wonderful narrative arc where growth and healing happen in the most satisfying of ways.

I also enjoyed how Clayborn incorporates the idea of fate into this novel. It never feels gimmicky or overwrought; rather, it feels visceral, real, and perhaps a little bit magical. The chemistry and connection between Nora and Will is a joy to read… first as they face off against each other as rivals, and then as they soften toward each other and become lovers. They’re both flawed, but are willing to work on themselves to become better people. And I have to say that Will is one of my favorites heroes that I’ve read in romance. Of all time. So there’s that, too.

If you love a well-earned love story with wit, humor, poignance, and character growth, ‘Love at First’ is the perfect book for you. I already know that this will be one of my top reads released in 2021, hands down.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

4.5/5 stars! When a teenaged Will Sterling and his mom visited his uncle, he heard a girl laugh and fell in love. But fate has other ideas and it took sixteen years for Will and the girl, Nora Clarke, to meet again. The same building but almost in opposite sides. It takes the residents of the whole building and other characters befriending Will, for him and Nora to get that second chance. I adore this book. I liked Will, Nora, their friends, and the residents of the building that the majority of the story takes place at. My personal preference requires some more details about certain characters to satisfy my curiosity, but I loved the "family" concept that is important to the story. Like Ms. Clayborn's previous book, I highly recommend this book. **Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.**

Love at First seems, at first, a simple story when boy meets girl - but it’s not. Will and Nora’s story is about two people who have a lot to discover about themselves that helps them to open up to each other. As their story unfolds, you get a glimpse of the people that live in the apartment building and how special their bond is to one another. The back stories of Will and Nora will make you happy and sad and yet these stories help to show us who Will and Nora really are. I loved the heartfelt relationships and the love of these two characters. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - Kate Clayborn’s stories are wonderful!

While the premise and trope of choice for this one (hate to love, rivalry) really appealed to me, I think in the end this just wasn't the romance novel for me. I struggled a bit with feeling attached to the characters - one of our MC's narrative focuses heavily on her memories of her grandmother, but I felt that I was just hearing about her affection for her, not feeling it. There were also some times where the insta-love felt a bit strong and adolescent for me. The writing read quite quickly and smoothly in the opening chapters, but then during the first incidental meeting of the love interests and narrators, Will and Nora, Nora cannot stop focusing on the fact that she didn't have a bra on, and how inappropriate that was. While I would have been fine if the narrative had focused on Nora's discomfort with being in her pj's braless, the emphasis on the "inappropriate" nature of a woman being braless on her own balcony talking to someone in the dark felt a bit outdated and bothersome to me, and really took me out of feeling connected to her as a narrator. Overall, I don't think this was the book for me, but I will say that it had its cute moments, and read fast.

This book will have you smiling ear-to-ear, it's an un-put-downable, quick read and feel-good love story!

I loved watching these two main characters grow, develop together, and of course, fall in love! The enemy-to-lovers trope is so well done, especially because they are only mild enemies it is super realistic and yet still makes you swoon.

This was my first read from Kate Clayborn and I really enjoyed it, I can't wait to start reading more from her! I seriously loved that you get to hear from the perspective of both main characters, hearing both their perspectives really made this book for me!

So I will forever read anything by Kate. Her writing is sublime and I can never get enough of her stories. This one is cozy and sweet and steamy. All the stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ARC of this book.

I stumbled upon, and adored, LOVE LETTERING earlier this year and was thrilled to snag an early copy of Clayborn's upcoming release (2.23.21) LOVE AT FIRST. It was wonderful.

I’d describe this as “Romance Adjacent” with a sweet and mild enemies to lovers story. But at its core it's really a story about community, family (first and found), grief, belonging, love and second chances. I loved that the book wasn't just about the main couple, but also a cast of secondary characters that were fun, loud, supportive and loyal. This book was a delight from the "missed meet cute' beginning to the swooning, sublime ending.