😍Cute story of transformed lives: heady, romantic vibes😊

I loved this quirky romance! I can't think of a single element I did not enjoy; the pages just sped by. It's told alternating from the female lead to the male lead's perspective (which I think worked really well with this story).

I was totally with Mia as she hesitantly dips her toe into socializing in Manchester, her new home. Throughout the story, Mia transforms from an anxious loner with major trust issues as opens up to the locals and finds new friends as well as Luke, the ripped guy she watches from her window as he goes through his daily exercise routine. She's a bit of a conundrum, though. She dresses for her own comfort, eschews makeup, yet she is constantly comparing herself to other women's looks and finds herself lacking. Which makes her a hard sell when sought-after Luke tries to convince her that it's Mia, not the legions of flirty women that hit on him at his bar, he wants.

Luke also transforms as he woos Mia out of her shell. He's got secrets and a history of commitment-free hookups that make Mia wary of his advances. But I loved his earnest efforts to get to know her and prove he deserves her trust.

Their slow-build relationship is sweet and romantic but with a punch of passion. The miscommunication and snags they face provide that bit of angst that makes the good times that much better. And the secondary characters, such as Mia's neighbor Stan, her sister Elle and Luke's friend/employee Sandy, provide helpings of humor.

I will definitely be looking for more works by Kathryn Freeman.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC publication for a honest review.
Publication Date - January 22, 2021
HarperCollins UK
Women’s Fiction, Romance, Humor

Mia moves to Manchester to start over after a messy break-up. The windows in her new apartment overlook a courtyard where she can also see into apartments across the way. She slowly begins to notice, through her home office window, Hot Guy Luke’s workout room. Everyday at 10:00 a.m., Mia becomes wildly distracted watching Luke’s daily weightlifting regiment.

Unbeknownst to Mia, she wanders into the bar just below her apartment and discovers Luke is the bartender/owner. Luke and Mia have instant chemistry, but she learns Luke has had multiple romantic liaisons with his women clientele. Mia’s insecurity leaves her wondering if Luke feelings are genuine as she is not the leggy, blonde type who constantly throw themselves at him at the bar. Eventually Luke realizes Mia has been watching him and begins leaving notes in his window to create a conversation between the two. Reluctant at first, Mia takes the bait, writing back placing her replies in her window. The reader finds themselves intrigued by their unique communications. Together, Luke and Mia proceed to travel throughout Manchester on fun-filled, hilarious non-dates.

What slowly begins as a slow-burn attraction between the “cool kid” and the “nerd,” Mr. Right Across the Street becomes an incredibly adorable read. This book also has a wonderful cast of characters from Mia’s family, Luke’s staff at the bar to other tenants in the apartment complex. The relationship that blossoms in this book is cute, and the book is truly a quick read.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Uk (One More Chapter) for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Mia moves to Manchester running away from her crazy ex-boyfriend, but what she did not expect is that in the flat in front Luke, aka the hottest boy ever, would have the wonderful routine to work-out in front of the window that is exactly in front of Mia's. So, and I firmly believe I am doing no spoiler (this is a rom-com guys, if you expected otherwise it is not my fault) Mia and Luke start a strange communication by messages on the windows.

It was a long time since I read a rom-com (I think the last one I read was The Hating Game by Sally Thorne) and this book was one of the best things that could have happened to me. The reading is so easy, the thinks happen fast and, although there is some drama, the characters act like real adults, which is much appreciated.

Mia works with computers and is a real gamer, which makes her a different type of protagonist from what we usually see, she doesn't use makeup and does not look twice her clothes before going out. I loved her being fresh and authentic although having her sometimes repeating that the cool guy and the nerd would never work several times over the book was kind of annoying, I can get that with her past relationships she will fall for this kind of prejudices. Also, having her being an amateur writer was a cherry on the top, because I think many of us could feel represented by her passion.

On the other side, we have Luke. I have to admit that, although I loved Mia, my favorite character was probably Luke, overall because of her past (I went through the book just wanting to hug him and love him with all my heart). I feel like this character is a great way of showing that maybe you can think you know it all about someone with just what you see but the reality could be far from what you imagine. Everyone deserves a chance to show their true self before being judged even if they are a Don Juan.

The relationship between these two is lovely since the messages on the windows until the constant jokes they have going on. I think they were pretty fluent, although Luke can be too innocent sometimes with the people surrounding him, you can see he is always trying to do his best. The final argument, which can be too long or extend in other books, ends up nicely without making too much drama, which I personally was thankful for.

To sum up, I think this is an amazing book and, although I didn't know the author before you can be sure she is on my list and I will make sure to read more from her. If you are looking for a light and funny rom-com this is the book you are looking for 100%.

Mr. Right Across the Street is a sweet meet-cute story. I enjoyed the characters and how well the story flowed. I know I received this ARC for an honest review, but I do hope it goes through some major editing before being published.

3 stars

Kathryn Freeman's Mr. Right Across the Street is a sweet story about finding love after you've decided to stop looking.

We've seen the writing notes to each other from across the way in music videos and in movies, but I had never read a book with that idea as the central concept. I think it worked really well as a way for Mia and Luke to develop a strong connection while they try to hold each other at arm's length. I also loved the Manchester setting - I will buy any book if it says that it is set somewhere in England!

The romance aspect did tend to drag and get repetitive at points, especially in the middle of the book when it felt like every other page was Mia wondering if Luke really had feelings for her or not because he was the "cool guy" and she was the "nerd". I like my romances to have a little more bite, but I can totally see someone looking for a contemporary romance that's more on the lighter side really enjoying this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I really went back and forth with how to rate this, mainly because the first half of the book feels like a completely different book than the second half!

If I had to summarize my feelings on this book into a single thought it would be this: It's 2021, aren't we sick of pitting women against other women? Because when you boil down the main conflicts in this story, it starts with slut-shaming and ends with "the evil ex" trope.

While the start of the story has some problematic elements, the relationship between Mia and Luke is absolutely adorable and makes up for it! I loved the notes on the windows, the bar, the friendship-dates; I devoured the first third of the book in one sitting and was already texting friends that they needed to stay tuned and potentially pre-order it! I had such high hopes!

[I don't know if it counts as the "surprise baby" trope if the baby in question is actually a teenager, but heads up, this is a single-dad romance! Sadly, the author took the path of "evil ex" with the mother, and it was so unsatisfying how it wasn't resolved. Also, Mia just isn't like any other woman and of course, cures him of his player-like ways.

This book starts off strong, so if you want to start it to catch all of the adorable-ness, I fully support that! Then just ask someone who's read it so you can get the summary of how it ends. I think this either needed to be two separate books telling two separate stories or dramatically edited down. There were so many repetitive stereotypes, and for two people in their 30's they definitely didn't act like it. I wish I could love the whole book as much as I loved the beginning!

In Mr. Right Across the Street we meet Mia, a single, independent, webpage designer and Luke, a hot, sexy, young bar owner that knows how to charm the ladies. This whirlwind romance novel focuses on the classic “Good Girl” falling for the “Bad Boy.” As you dive deep into the characters' lives. Mr. Right Across the Street is a real treat that is full of delight, bar hopping, snarky comments, with a bit of British charm that will leave your thirsty and wanting more. This romance novel is full of surprises that will leave you wondering, if or could these two characters ever get along. One has dropped a lot of dead weight from previous relationships, and the other has baggage that is clearly a mile long. See what happens when their worlds collide. You will find yourself turning pages and wanting to know where this story goes!!!

I really wanted to like this book because so fat all the One More Chapter books I've read I have enjoyed. Unfortunately, this one just didn't hook me like the others.

Premise: Mia moves to Manchester, where she has no friends, no social life. She's a green haired nerd who wears Converse and leggings. One day, she spies a hunky man in the building across from her working out in his window. She later comes to find that he's a bartender/owner of the bar below the apartment. She writes him off as a ladies man and falls in with a group of women that have either slept with him or are dying to. But Luke can't help but be enamored by her. He wants to get to know her better and they agree to be just friends. Mia refuses to give him her phone number so he resorts to writing messages to her and posting them in his window and this is how they communicate.

It was a cute idea, but neither character was very likable. Also, Mia had so many trust issues that I wondered why she wasn't in therapy. Also, are nipple rings back in? Just asking...

I wanted to quit reading but I pressed on, wondering if it was me or the book. Was I not enjoying it because of everything going on in the country now? Or was this book really that bad? I kept at it, but I admit that I did a lo of speed reading just to finish it.

This book made my chest ACHE! Oh my gosh. Throughout the whole book I kept getting Beach Read by Emily Henry vibes since it was a romance that touched on deeper issues and conflicts than just your usual miscommunications.

Mia and Luke were so so sweet to read about! This twist with the woman next door and Grace totally took me by surprise but ended up being such a great part of the story. I appreciated how mature both main characters were and that they each actually took responsibility for their crap and were willing to talk it out with each other. There’s nothing worse than a romance whee the main conflict could be easily solved with a conversation between the love interests.

Definitely will be recommending this book after pub day!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this early copy!

I unfortunately, did not finish this book. I got 60% through and just couldn't do it anymore, which makes me sad because the book sounded and looked so cute.

The pacing was veryyyyyy slow. I had to push myself through and was just waiting for something to happen and this book just felt way too long. I also thought it was repetitive. Especially regarding how they were just friends, how Luke is a womanizer and Mia can't risk it, and how Mia isn't like other girls. It just kept repeating those things over and over. I didn't sense the romance at all and quite frankly, I think Mia was very arrogant and unlikable. Luke was a good character, and I didn't mind his parts but Mia was AWFUL.

I really wish I could get through this book but I just find myself dreading having to get back into it.

3.5 Stars

Mia is a website developer that moves into an apartment complex in Manchester in the hopes of starting over and thriving on her own. Away from her family, she believes this is the perfect opportunity to be more independent. She wants to make new friends and create a new support bubble away from her stalker ex-boyfriend.

Quickly, she realizes two things: the guy in the apartment right across from her that she ''can't help but watch'' working out in the morning, is also the owner of the trendy bar that services the buildings around her.

Luke is going through some major changes of his own. He is no longer a mere bartender and is now a business owner. After closing the deal on the bar he worked on for years, he realizes that managing books is a lot more complicated than creating trendy cocktails and being friendly with the clientele. He doesn't have a lot of room in his life for relationships and is pretty casual about his hook-ups - until Mia walks in.

Sure, Mr. Right Accross the Street suffers a bit from the ''I'M NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS'' trope, and that can be quite annoying. But, overall, if you're able to overlook this, their story is actually very cute.

Both Luke and Mia have reservations about becoming involved and they develop a friendship first, which creates lovely tension and mutual pinning. I thought the main conflict was obvious, and therefore I didn't need the suspense leading to it, but, if you can overlook a few clichés Mr. Right Accross the Street can be a perfectly fine and sweet read.

Funny, witty and just utterly adorable! It was a lovely heartwarming read with an incredible main character!

Fantastic read. I have been completely unable to put this one down. I cannot wait to read more by this author.
Full review to follow on publication.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Uk, One More Chapter and Kathryn Freeman for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
When Mia made the move to the big city, she knew it would be a tough transition. A few weeks in and she’s not only bored, she’s starting to feel lonely. As a computer programmer she spends her days at her desk in front of her computer. The silver lining? The first row view to the hot guy lifting weights every morning across the street. A solo night to the bar downstairs (literally) and she soon meets the mystery neighbor. He owns the bar beneath his apartment and he has quite the fanclub. Too bad it seems to be a females only club. Mia has no interest in being played and besides, this move was supposed to be the start of the new her. That didn’t include fallings for the player across the street.
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This was a light and flirty read packed with witty banter and sexy chemistry! Mia and Luke have an easy back and forth that was fun to read and easy to like. This was very low angst which makes it a great palate cleanser after reading something heavier or if you're in a book slump. This is a slow burn romance and the pace was a little on the slow side, but the romance is sweet and you won’t finish the book disappointed!

Kathryn has done it again. At this point I don't think she's capable of writing a bad story. This one had me fully captivated and at the edge of my seat especially when Luke dropped that huge bomb. Another well crafted storyline by the author.

This is the story of Mia, who has been burned by past relationships and Luke, who appears to be a player. Mia meets the Luke while he is tending bar. He asks her out but she declines. She won't give out her phone number because her ex was harassing her. How can a guy make any progress without a number? Well he leaves notes in his window for her, of course. A unique take on a meet-cute. This is a comical journey to finding love. I really needed an easy relaxing read and this was perfect.

Thanks to netgalley and One More Chapter for the arc.

This book has such a great premise, a hot guy who writes notes in his windows to the girl who lives across from him and takes her out to show her around her new city. Those parts of the story were really fun and I wish there had been more of them. I really enjoyed the way Luke wooed Mia. I really enjoyed Luke altogether. He was a sweet and decent hero who was not afraid to change when he had feelings for Mia. Mia, on the other hand, I never warmed up to. For a character who claimed more than one to hate stereotypes she was pretty quick to label everyone she came across. I grew weary with the lazy characterizations at first, Luke was just a player, her neighbor was an overweight slob (the ways she describes him were off putting to me and not excused by the fact they become friends) and other women are crammed into tight dresses with long nails just to illustrate how different and better Mia is for not putting so much emphasis on her appearance. Mia is also untrusting to a pretty severe level despite Luke being remarkably upfront with her about his feelings. I never saw the appeal other than how supposed unlike all other women she is. I still got caught up in the story and wanted Luke to get his HEA even if it included Mia. Gotta love a man who dotes on his pet rabbit.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really sweet. There were some things about it that I could have lived without but over all it was cute!

Mia moves to Manchester away from her family and friends and the life she knew to start afresh. One month in and the loneliness from not having met anyone besides her pensioner neighbour is stifling. Not even her daily entertainment of watching her neighbour work out shirtless manages to quell the loneliness she feels.

Mia moves to Manchester away from her family and friends and the life she knew to start afresh. One month in and the loneliness from not having met anyone besides her pensioner neighbour is stifling. Not even her daily entertainment of watching her neighbour work out shirtless manages to quell the loneliness she feels.

This book started off great! I am such a fan of Kathryn's writing. She has a knack for telling a story and creating intriguing characters who essentially go through a period of growth. The chemistry between Mia and the main male character was fantastic to read about.

The only two things I did not enjoy is that the "she-is-not-like-other-girls" trope was so heavily emphasised in this story. It became a bit annoying towards the end. Secondly, I felt the story dragged on too long towards the end mainly due to Mia's insecurity. It felt like a vicious cycle that just would not break! And to top it all off they never truly talked about what was bothering her. It grated me!

So cute story, adorable premise but I must admit I enjoyed her previous book so much more.

DNF at 51%.

Argh! I usually like Kathryn Freeman's books but I just could not like this one. Mia Abbott moves to Manchester, she works from home and is kind of lonely in a new city so she becomes a little bit obsessed with the people who live in the flats opposite, particularly the sexy guy who likes to work out every morning in front of his window. Sexy guy is local bartender turned owner, Luke Doyle. He's cruised through life having friends with benefits type relationships and very little commitment as befits a bartender. But recently things have changed, he's bought the bar he works at and he's starting to want more from life, like the girl with the green hair who walks into his bar alone.

Mia annoyed me, she got all bent out of shape about Luke's love life based on gossip from girl's she'd only just met in a bar. She got rabidly jealous because another woman was trying to attract him. She ignored the fact that he was chatting her up and asked her out. Then she did it again. And again. Yawn.

There was an interesting story in there about Mia helping Luke to pull the bar out of the red when he finds out that someone has been skimming the business for years but it was buried under tweenage angst and I lost interest.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.