This kind of tale can be fairly contrived but I think the author did a great job adding depth to the characters and to their histories... When I'm often screaming for people to have a conversation and just talk to each other, things were being addressed- feelings on both sides.. I spent all night reading.

This book was a fun read and had likeable characters. The premise was cute. However, this book became overkill. A HUGE deal was made of the "not typical" female character, with the "hunky" guy...and a big deal of how lucky this girl was to have the "hunky" guy. The book, as I said was a cute fun read, but this became annoying. The book also became very repetitive.

Mia moves to Manchester for a fresh start. A few days in her new place and she meets Luke, the local bartender and notorious player, who happens to live right across the street. While Mia insists they just remain friends, the two of them can’t deny the connection they have.

This was a great romance and I really enjoyed it! Definitely helped in between some longer, heavier reads to have a story that was as cute as this one. A little bit of steam, a long, slow burn and a friends to lovers storyline - what more can you ask for?!

I loved the relationship between Mia and Luke - both complex characters with their own set of insecurities, but also so full of charm and quirks. It was clear from the beginning that these two had chemistry, which helped the story flow so effortlessly.

Would recommend checking this one out if you’re looking for a quick, sweet romance

This book had a cute concept but the execution fell flat. The heroine was really hard to like. I don't mind a slow burn but I never felt like she was even into the hero. When they finally did get together then their bedroom talk was pretty cringy. I thought the notes were a cute idea but they were used instead of a phone for setting up meetings which was odd. The proposal at the end with the notes was a nice full circle moment.

This book was a roller coaster in the best way possible. Mia moves to Manchester to get away from her ex and meets Luke, her neighbor. She stares at him while he works out but has never actually talked to him. After she rejects dating him, he proposes that they go on non-dates while he takes her around the city.

The cutest thing about this book, by far, was the notes that they left in their windows. I thought it was a creative way for them to communicate and Mia's initial reaction to them was very realistic. The only thing I can think that I didn't enjoy about the books was that Mia's friends from back home didn't play a more important role in the book and I wish they were either not mentioned at all or were made more prevalent.

This is not just a love story, but also a story of moving on, misunderstanding and realising one's self-worth. You can never make assumptions based on someone's appearance or the way they act around people because you don't know everything that is going on in their life. Luke and Mia both have pasts and insecurities and you get to see them confront that throughout the book.

I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

A lot of this book reminded me of the movie How to be Single, which features a woman as in town frequenting a new bar, and hitting it off with the barman.

Some aspects of this book didn't hit the mark for me, such as the frequent woman bashing and slut shaming. I wish those had been left out.

That said, I liked the slow romance in this book. It was sweet, not too steamy, and kept me hooked to see how they would end up together.

******

My review copy had some formatting issues which made it a little hard to read, and quite difficult to differentiate between the points of view. I hope this is fixed in the final edit.

'Mr Right Across The Street' is an adorable romance book following Mia, who has just moved to Manchester for a fresh start, and Luke, the guy who lives in the flat opposite her and who also runs a local bar. After meeting for the first time and having an instant connection, Luke and Mia begin to write messages to each other on their windows and slowly start falling for each other.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit cliché at times (there was this whole thing about Mia being nerdy and 'different' because she didn't want to get all dressed up to go to the bar because 'she's not like the other girls' and Luke is this 'cool guy' who couldn't possibly fancy her), but I still really enjoyed this book. I felt like Mia and Luke had a lot of chemistry and I was rooting for them to be together. I also really loved the messages in the window idea and thought it was so adorable.

I loved Stan. Stan was my favourite character. I loved how he was always there for Mia and was always encouraging her and honest with her in order to help her. I was also rooting for Stan and Naomi even though they were just a secondary character/relationship but I loved them.

One of my issues with this book was the low-key girl hate. I felt like Mia was always pushing away Tanya and Chloe and that group of friends because they had a past 'relationship' with Luke. Even after the moment where Tanya basically told Mia she was fine and happy for her to be with Luke, Mia was still saying 'Tanya hates me' and I hated how it stopped Mia from being able to have a nice girl friendship with these girls who invited her to be a part of their group and were there for her from the beginning.

The epilogue made me cry which I didn't expect. I just found that chapter so sweet.

I really liked how this book was set in Manchester. I've never read a book set in my home city and I loved being able to read this and know all of the places that Luke and Mia visited.

I really love Kathryn Freeman's writing. This book was such a fast read because the writing was so nice to read. It felt like I was flying through it. I will definitely pick up Kathryn Freeman's other books because I really love her writing.

If you love romance, especially friends to lovers, then you should definitely check this one out.

Thank you to One More Chapter for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute little romance about a girl looking for a fresh start and her bot neighbor across the street who starts leaving notes on the window for her.

I'll start with what I liked. I thought the author did a great job showcasing Mia & Luke's perspective, flaws and hang-ups. They have their pasts and baggage that they bring with them into this new relationship.

But it is a bit repetitive and has some clique and cringy scenes. Mia drove me crazy a bit with her low confidence, jealousy and mistrust but I actually really liked Luke! He was head over heels adorable.

Thank you to Net Galley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

This book was cute overload. Cute messages written in windows. Cute not dates to get to know each other as friends. Falling in love. Just cute, cute cute.

However, I could not stand Mia at all and she completely ruined the book for me. She was a child. Through most of the book she gets mad at Luke for having a past, even though she tells him every chance she gets that she doesn’t want a future with him. She strings him along and plays with him and his emotions so much. She has no care for what she’s doing to him. Then when they begin to date she still can’t let go of her jealousy. Any time she even meets and woman Luke knows she just assumes he likes her and is sleeping with them? I get what it’s like to not want to open up again after getting hurt, but I really didn’t connect with mis or like her at all.

The cover and premise of this book instantly appealed to me but maybe I set my expectations too high. I have mixed opinions and I’m sad about it.

The positives:
• Luke
• the notes in the window
• the chemistry and non-dates
• consent
• I loved lots of the supporting characters

The bits that rubbed me up the wrong way:
• Mia
• They behave like YA rather than 30 year olds
• incessant fat shaming, slut shaming and ramming of “not like other girls” trope down the reader’s throat. It was very repetitive and got boring.

It was a nice romance if you can overlook the niggles!

I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley to take part in a readalong on Instagram. These opinions are my own.

This really is just the cutest, most heartwarming romcom I've read in quite a while.

Mia has moved to Manchester to start a new life following a bad experience in her love life. She's seeking a fresh start but little does she know just what that will mean.

Bar owner and mixologist extraordinaire Luke is struggling to keep his business afloat. When Mia catches his attention, he has to work to hide his strong feelings as they get to know one another.
Will they or won't they? You have to read to find out...

I loved the quippy dialogue between characters and the pace of the whole book which advanced the plot at a good rate but allowed time for the story to really develop, with events really taking shape about 60% of the way through leaving time to then explore the what happened next without it feeling rushed.

The main characters are really likeable and I felt you really got to know them well, as well as their friends, family members and the stories behind those characters as well. I also really like the setting of Manchester which added a friendly vibe as you could really imagine this sense of community and a local bar with regulars.

Mia and Luke both have to battle some of their insecurities and their communication rather than just physical attraction is what they work on throughout the book. It's also encouraged by surrounding characters like Sandy in a very real way.

Flirty and fun, this is a perfect lockdown read which will leave you with a smile on your face. Who knows it may just get people leaving notes to one another in the window!

Big thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter Team.at Harper Collins for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mr Right Across the Street is the perfect book we all need now. You know the one that takes you away... this time to England where we meet the adorable Mia who is unapologetically herself and swoon worthy Luke - the handsome bartender.

Mia moves to Manchester to escape after ending a relationship and what follows is a very cute story of how she meets Luke - and how they communicate with each other. Mia discovers Luke is the hot neighbor who lives across the way and works out daily at 10am - for all to see. After she personally meets him at his bar, they start leaving messages for each other in their windows. The novel takes us through the building of their non-relationship (as Mia puts it).

Mr Right Across the Street is a quick, enjoyable read which will leave readers cheering for this cute non-couple!

I liked this book. It acutally was quite a good story buried under Mia's constant rhetoric of how she's so different from other girls. This is one of my biggest pet peeves in romance novels and any novels is where the main character has to find ways to make herself better than other girls by being different. It's so UNNECESSARY. Otherwise though Luke was cute and there was a nice little twist I didn't expect.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Mia runs away to Manchester to avoid any more disastrous romantic encounters. Unfortunately avoiding the hot guy who lives opposite becomes difficult when he starts leaving her notes in the window. Luke also isn't looking for romance but fate intervenes. What does love have in store for them. Are they perfect for each other?

Such a romantic story, with a real feelgood theme. The idea of writing notes across to each other was wonderful in this age of technological chats - so thoughtful. Mia is a strong, independent woman who after her share of Mr Wrongs, may have met her Mr Right. I loved the warmth of Stan and Naomi - they were the perfect addition to the cast. A real pick me up kind of story.

Whimsical and cute-- the perfect light escape! Mia moves to Manchester after several rough relationships. Things change though when she notices an attractive male in the window across from her flat. Things heat up when he starts leaving messages in the window for her. Told in dual perspectives, the plot flowed naturally and left me with warmth for the characters.

I don't often request romance novels, I am a much more fantasy, sci-fi person but I was in a mood for something to lift me up and the book delivered.

Mr Right Across the Street is a hug in a book and a joy to pick up when I needed a book to look after me rather than the other way around. a shining light in lockdown!

Mia Abbott’s move to Manchester was supposed to give her time and space from all the disastrous romantic choices she’s made in her past. But then the hot guy who lives opposite – the one who works out every day at exactly 10 a.m., not that Mia has noticed thank-you-very-much – starts leaving notes in his window…for her.
Bar owner Luke Doyle has his own issues to deal with but as he shows Mia the sights of her new city he also shows her what real romance looks like for the first time. And when he cooks up a signature cocktail in her honour, she realises that the man behind the bar is even more enticing than any of his creations. And once she’s had a taste she knows it will never be enough!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this prior to publishing date. Good girl meets bad boy......or is he?
Beautiful old fashioned actions from a so-called 'player' instantly make you think this relationship has the potential to be special. . Well thought out characters (neither are perfect) some questionable relationships (would an ex want to be friendly with a new girlfriend?) add in a sassy teenager and you have yourself an interesting read. I liked it very much

This is a cute romcom but I did have some issues with it. I really liked that we had the POV of both the male and female characters. This definitely gave me more insight into the characters. I did struggle a bit with Mia though. She really was so unsure of herself and was always running off on Luke. Both characters definitely had their flaws that they were trying to overcome which made them relatable. The secondary characters were quirky and fun. Overall I didn’t mind the writing but I think Mia misunderstood or thought the worst of Luke a couple of times too many.

I was totally sold on the synopsis of Mr. Right Across the Street: woman moves to new city to leave a rocky romantic history in the past and finds herself living across the street from someone she can't help but be drawn to. Oh, and he just happens to own the bar underneath his apartment building, meets her there, and begins living friendly notes for her in his window.

Sadly this book seemed to focus more on the "not like other girls" trope than anything else. Mia isn't like other women because she has the gall to enter his bar alone, wearing a t-shirt. There's also some slut shaming and mean girl behavior, which served to bring down what might have otherwise been a romance for me.

What I did really enjoy: The cast of characters is great (even the ones Mia has issues with, I found to be people I'd like to be around). So is the setting - a little apartment complex/bar/cafe area. And I appreciated Luke's desire to talk things out.

If the "cool girl" trope doesn't bother you, you may very well love this one! Though do note it's a bit of a slow burn.