3.5 stars.

Mr. Right Across the Street was a cute premise that didn’t totally deliver.

Mia is new to Manchester and hasn’t met many people yet. But what she has discovered while working from home is there is a very attractive man who works out on a strict schedule. Every day. Across the street. Where she can see him from her desk and window.

She eventually meets him when she leaves her hibernation and ventures to the local bar, where Mr. Right is the owner and bartender, Luke. Luke is immediately smitten but Mia is gun shy after hearing about Luke’s rakish ways (look, I’ve been watching the Bridgertons, ok!?). He realizes she lives across from him the next morning and thus begins their communication using notes left on their windows.

Isn’t that adorable?

But here’s where it kind of falls apart.

Mia has had some bad relationships and is reluctant to try something with a manwhore like Luke. So they try friendship instead, although Luke is terrible about hiding his feelings for Mia.

Mia…is what’s wrong with this book. She is so insecure. I have a hard time believing she is an adult when so many of her actions are immature and reminiscent of a teenager. She was so hard on Luke, never once looking at anything from his point of view, nor giving him a chance to talk to her. Mia was constantly running away. And the whole “you’re a cool kid, I’m a nerd and the two shall never be together” schtick was so judgmental. And this when she claimed she didn’t like to stereotype…she constantly did.

Luke deserved better. He was romantic, vulnerable, and loyal.

Side characters were a worthwhile addition, and overall I enjoyed myself. I just felt it could have been just that bit more.

Thank you to One More Chapter, author Kathryn Freeman, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.75 stars
This was such a cute contemporary romance about two people who find love with the person who lives across the street. This is my fourth book that I have read by this author. I am always impressed by how well this author is able to create a compelling story. Things I liked about the book:
1.) Mia was written well. I enjoyed how she was not just willing to settle into a relationship with a guy she finds attractive. She is willing to stand up for herself and be forthright about how she feels. I did not feel she was judging Luke for the like style he is living and does not seek to change him.
2.) Mia's family and friends were so supportive and willing to ask the hard questions to help Mia make the right decisions.
3.) Grace was a wonderful character. You could feel the love surrounding this young woman.
4.) Luke was willing to do the work to become not only the friend Mia needed, but later on the man she could love. He was very understanding and was not put off by Mia friend zoning him in the beginning.
Things I did not like about this book:
1.) The length of the book was a little too long.
2.) Peter (Mia's stalker ex). He really did not serve any main plot point. He could have been left out.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable contemporary romance! I look forward to her next book!

I loved The New Guy and have kept hoping for that same magic that the author shared with us in that first book would show up again. Mr Right has done it. I loved learning about Luke and watching what we expected him to be change and shift just like it did for Mia. I felt like I was part of that growth process for her. I liked Mia's family and all of Luke's friends and the neighborhood so much. Between the atmosphere of the neighborhood and bar and all of the community, this book was just fun.

Mia has just moved in a new city, her apartment has a great view where the guy across the street puts in a great show in his home gym.

When she decides to go to the bar downstairs in order to meet new people, she didn't expect to see the guy across the street work there.

Luke is a player, he is always with a different woman but doesn't really date. When Mia comes along he is very intrigued by her presence and attitude.

Mia doesn't want to start a relationship with him, especially will all the women that are around. Luke doesn't give up. He is very persistent and he will do his best to convince Mia to give him a chance.

I really enjoyed their non dates, dates, they had a lot of cute moments together. It was a great way to showed her how much he was interested which he didn't hide.

I would have preferred if there wasn't so much attention to his previous relationships, the women were always close by and that gave me as well as Mia a pause. 


*I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.

This is a very sweet, very hot, slow-burn romance set in contemporary Manchester. I liked the chemistry and banter between Mia and Luke, and I adored their communication-by-window-sign take on the epistolary novel. I was less enamoured by the way the relationship seemed to go round and round in circles for large portions of the book. But I definitely did enjoy reading it, and would pick up more books by this author.
My full review will appear on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, closer to the publication date.

Moving to Manchester was supposed to give Mia the time ad space she needed to get past a horrible relationship. When she notices the hot guy who lives opposite she tells herself she is not interested, not at all, even when he is working out in full view of her office window. Ans especially when he starts leaving notes in his window for her….

Luke is a new business owner who has more than enough o his plate, women included. He has no time for an actual girlfriend, until he meets Mia and realises what he may have been missing. However he has secrets and the more time he is spending with Mia, the more difficult it is to tell her about his past.

I found this to be a sweet quick read.

I'm sorry, but this book was just not right for me. Too much body shaming, slut shaming, double standards. Way too long and repetitive. I did finish it, I just wish it had ended quite a bit earlier.

I appreciate the opportunity for an ARC. Thank you.

This was a tale of two halves for me; I found a few big issues in the beginning chapters, but the rest of the book generally picked up and I enjoyed.

I feel for the majority of the book, the focus was too much on Luke being a player and their pasts rather than the current developing relationship between Luke and Mia, though I did love their 'non-dates' exploring Manchester. A really sweet element was the window-note writing (after both characters confirmed they didn't find it creepy of course!), a cute way to communicate in a world of people constantly on their phones. Moreover, their friendship seemed genuine and natural, though I have to admit it was glaringly obvious they were falling for each other, and so Mia's constant stressing that they're 'just friends' became annoying quite quickly.

I really appreciated the presence of communication and talking through any insecurities or feelings before jumping in (Chapter Twenty-Six in particular), and a strength of the writing was this prioritization, even though a lot of talk (especially in the first half) was about looks, bodies and sex... Which brings me on to some of the key issues. I felt, in the beginning in particular, there was so much attention on the body, in an objectifying and sex-oriented way that made me almost uncomfortable. The way Mia referred to Luke's workouts as 'a show' and the constant appreciation of his body was getting almost childish and shallow.

My biggest gripe with this book however was that, considering the main characters are supposed to be 30 and 34, it seriously gave off a high-school atmosphere. With the gossiping-style conversations, and the 'cool player guy', the 'nerdy girl who isn't like the others and doesn't realise she's beautiful', and the 'group of pretty popular girls interested in their looks and getting with guys'... It plays so heavily on stereotypes it's honestly quite cringey! For example, something Mia refers to constantly is that "history has taught her cool guys didn't go for nerds", which is quite immature for a 30 year old and made me roll my eyes A LOT. And the constant attention to Mia's dress style and appearance whilst comparing it to other girls was so unnecessary and felt like a dig to people who do like to dress up, as if Mia was so special and unique for wearing leggings and t-shirts...

Another trope of the book was the "jaw-droppingly gorgeous player and unconsciously beautiful woman who isn't like the others", with the whole "she's like no other girl I've met" being constantly reinforced, that really weakened any strong connection I could have had to the main characters as it felt so unrealistic and over the top

The second half did pick up for me personally though, with the big revelation and continuation of that thread. I enjoyed the addition of Grace's character, and the unraveling of that storyline rounded out the book for me as it provided more depth and explanation that enabled the reader to understand the situation and certain characterisation much better. From this, the developing relationship between Luke and Mia felt a bit more like an adult relationship than two teenagers trying to get into each other's pants, though again some of the main conflicts (especially in relation to Freya) lacked mature discussion and resolve.

So the 3/5 star for me is because I found the book average; a fun flirty romance with some deeper background exploration, yet I couldn't neglect the persistent issues of high-school vibes and intense stereotyping.

Mr. Right Across the Street is a quick and fun rom-com with great characters and a chemistry-laden friends-to-lovers romance. The story follows Mia and Luke, an unlikely pair that proves love conquers all. Mia is new to town and looking to make friends, not become entangled with the sexy bar owner who lives across the street. Luke is quite comfortable with his single life but can’t resist his deep feelings for Mia. Can he convince Mia that he is the one for her?

I love Mia’s character! A tech-savvy coder, Mia is smart, independent, and kind. Though comfortable in her own skin, Mia has lost trust in men and in herself. New to the area, Mia moved to Manchester to escape a toxic relationship, and she is still dealing with the ramifications of ending it. She’s not looking for romance, but she finds it in the hunky bachelor that lives across the street and owns the local bar. Though she immediately connects with Luke, Mia does not want to repeat mistakes she’s made in the past and is reluctant to enter into a relationship with a known womanizer. Mia has a lot of reservations when it comes to romance, and her past relationships have really damaged her ability to trust and her desire to find love. It’s interesting to see how she works through her internal obstacles and tries to focus on a happier future for herself.

Luke seems like a consummate bachelor with an easy smile and charismatic charm, but he is so much more than that. I love how his story slowly unfolds to show how loyal, hard-working, and honorable he is. Like Mia, his past defined his present, and because of this, he keeps love interests at an emotional distance, never getting too attached. That is, until Mia.

I love how Luke, a man who is used to women throwing themselves at him, works to win Mia over. He knows upon meeting her that Mia is different from the other women he knows. He is drawn to her and admires her quick wit, sharp mind, and beauty, but he also recognizes her reluctance to become involved. Writing notes and leaving them in his window for Mia to see is a super cute way of communicating, especially in today’s technology-dependent world. Luke is patient and sensitive to Mia’s fears and insecurities, and his actions show how much he cares for and respects her. They have wonderful (and sometimes steamy) chemistry, and their love story is fantastic.

The story also has a fantastic cast of secondary characters. Mia’s sister and mother are hilarious and charming and genuine, and the strength of their bond is evident throughout the novel. Luke’s friends are also pretty comical, and the way they tease and support each other is relatable and realistic. Mia’s curmudgeonly neighbor is an unusual and perfect sidekick and much more intuitive than he originally seems. All of these characters enrich the story and offer tremendous insight into Mia and Luke’s lives.

I enjoyed this cute and fun contemporary romance and think it will appeal to readers who enjoy rom-coms with well-developed and interesting characters, witty banter, and a fabulous love story. Thanks so much to Rachel’s Random Resources and Kathryn Freeman for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much because it seemed really cute, but 54% of the way in all I could do was roll my eyes and want to scream get together already. I was so annoyed with the way Mia and Luke pussyfooted around each other. Like they clearly liked each other and wanted to be together but they kept playing the same game of Mia: He is a player, he sleeps with many women, Luke: Mia doesn't want to get with someone like me, I have a past.

I was just annoyed with them both at that point, and they kept making sure you knew that they were going on Non-dates. Overall the book just annoyed me I couldn't even finish it.

Still thankful for the ARC of this book.

Overall, I thought this book was pretty adorable. There was things here and there that bothered me (ike not giving out her pone number), but all the quirky little things made this book adorable!

Mia and Luke were opposites in every sense, but it worked. I had a smile on my face reading this book and it was just what I needed!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book; I very much appreciate it as I really enjoyed it!

This book was so much fun --- I absolutely loved the banter back and forth between Mia and Luke! The messages in the windows were priceless and very creative. Lots of moments in the story made me laugh and I had trouble putting it down. There were a few things that bothered me --- for example, Mia was drooling over Luke when he was lifting weights, yet she was very critical of his previous sex life which seemed inconsistent. However, this was easily overlooked since the rest of the book was so good. I'm anxious to discover other books by this author.

I have read all of Kathryn Freeman's books with One More Chapter and this one might be my favorite of all so far. I will also request her books because they are always adorable, relatable, and utterly charming.

First off, the characters in this book were so well rounded, fleshed out, and had very interesting back stories. The fun quirk to this book was that they communicated via signs written in the window a la the Taylor Swift music video for You Belong With Me. The side characters seriously add to the story and keep it going. Mia's friendship her older neighbor Stan was my favorite relationship of the book, hands down. I don't know if young person-old person friendships are a trope but if they are, it's one of my favorites!

I don't really have anything that I found to critique with this one! I loved it from start to finish and feel like Kathryn is great at creating chemistry between two people and making it super charming and adorable. The pacing made sense, the flow worked, and I read it all in one day. Definitely check this out if you're a fan of contemporary romances, friends to lovers, and a quirky form of communication - all set in a bar!

**Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This is the story of a young woman, Mia, who moves to different city following a break-up that left her full of distrust for men. She doesn't socialize with her neighbours and other townsfolk, she spends the majority of her time working behind her desk... and peeking out of her window across from her where her insanely attractive neighbour is working out every day at 10 a.m.
But then one night she decides to visit the pub next door, and who turns out to be the owner of said bar? The delectable Luke Doyle, her hot neighbour she can't stop ogling to save her life.
They meet, sparks fly, but Mia doesn't trust men, and Luke is the definition of a ladies man who apparently chases everything in a skirt, or so she keeps telling herself. So they become friends of sorts, he takes her on trips around the town, and their attraction grows. However, there are more issues than his ex, bar going under, and her crippling trust issues.
I loved the setting and the writing style - I desperately miss England and I never got the chance to visit Manchester. I also adored Mia's grumpy old neighbour whom she strikes an unlikely friendship with. All the secondary characters were quite loveable and nice to read about.
The meet-cute was quite original and "old-school" which is great in this Tinder era.
The main issue I had with this book was that I didn't feel much connection between the main characters until much later in the story. It was at times quite annoying to read about Luke's constant nagging how he wants them to (finally) get together, and even though Mia expressely tells him she doesn't feel ready, he keeps pushing her into a relationship she is not comfortable with.
There was also an unnecessary amount of slut-shaming which does not sit well with me (Mia does the slut-shaming, and the slut in question here is Luke).
The last 20% dragged on wayyy too much, I think the story would be nicely rounded out even without the awkward drama with his ex.
All in all, a nice, cute love story that takes you on a lovely, but slightly predictable, journey of two people falling in love with the help of messages in the windows of their apartments.

Mr. Right across the Street is a rom com done well which is why I enjoyed reading especially the messages in the window.

This is a very sweet romcom with a main female character that isn't forcing herself to fit in with the norm for eligible women, which I liked
I also really like it when the city setting isn't in London. I found this book a bit long for its plot line though.

I don't give out 1 stars lightly, I find most books have at least a little merit but this one...did not

My review for this book could just be: yikes! But I'll try to elaborate a little more. We all know the "not like other girls trope." Look at those other girls with their make-up and their tight dresses and heels, well our main character Mia is not like those other girls. She wears baggy clothes and NO make-up, and though the main male protagonist usually loves those "easy, uncomplicated, undemanding" woman who throw themselves at him in his bar he can't help but notice that Mia is...different. And therefore....intriguing

This book has another thing I can't over look: slut shaming. Luke has had relations with a number of women and flirts with customers at his bar and Mia judges him heavily based on this. And not just internally, but to his face when they first meet for coffee. This is after, I might add, she oggles and objectifies him through his window from the comfort of her flat. We see no issues here?!

The double standards in this book are astounding. According to the book if women wear tight dresses and make-up to feel confident, that's a bad thing, but if a guy works out and gets piercings and tattoos to pull women and feel confident...he's sexy and alluring???

The characters had zero depth/personality, as well as zero chemistry with each other. The dialogue was really awkward and not written how people really speak. Mia's sister calls Luke's ex (who he has a CHILD with) a "bitch-face" (I wish I was making this up) with no context or reason

It's safe to say I would not recommend this book to anyone. I have previously dnfd another of this author's books and if I'd realised it was the same author I wouldn't have bothered requesting this one

TW: fat shaming, slut shaming, sex work/porn star shaming

Thank you to Harper Collin and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I’m definitely going to need a “Mr Right Across the Street” movie please because this book was super adorable. With so many romance books relying on tinder and other online platforms for their “meet cutes” I found their communication style really refreshing.

The characters in the book are fairly likable. Sometimes Mia’s low self esteem/up & down feelings grew a little tiresome to read BUT not enough to put the book down.

This was a cute and fun read. Solid 3 stars.

I would say this book deserves 2.5 stars however that isn't an option so I'm having to go with 2 stars. It wasn't that this book was bad, overall it was an enjoyable read and it was quick and easy, which was perfect as I needed to move past a book hangover. The story was sweet if not a little predictable, I guess the title literally gives away the premise of the novel in at least some way, despite the obvious direction of the book it was a nice read, the characters were well developed and it was easy to envision them as real people. Unfortunately, I would argue that both Mia and Luke played into overdone stereotypes and that Mia's characterisation felt as though the author was pushing her to be 'not like other girls'. Despite this, I enjoyed the dynamics between the two characters and it was easy to believe the chemistry between the two as their relationship develops throughout the novel. I felt as though in some places the language was somewhat immature perhaps, in particular when Luke is talking about Mia's body, I felt as though this could have been written better or at least in less of a cringe worthy way, as I was physically cringing at times. I appreciated the setting for the novel as the city is one of my local cities and it was in fact one of the reasons I was drawn to the novel in the first place, I enjoyed the authenticity that came with following the characters around hotspots and at times places I had visited myself. I feel as though this book was an easy read and would recommended it to anyone who needs a quick fix of a cheesy romance novel and although it plays into stereotypes it doesn't take away the fact that the novel itself and the story is cute and at times easy to relate to and the characters are likeable to the extent that you find yourself invested in their story. A fan of romance novels would perhaps have a different view however overall I did enjoy the book and found it a nice edition to small collection of romance readings.

There is A LOT to love in this book, sadly there’s also a bit I was frustrated by. While I completely understood why Mia was apprehensive at first, once they got together, it was too much back and forth for me. Not enough using of words, not enough trust of self or others, and I get that fits with some of their individual baggage… but it made it not as much fun of a read for me.

Things to love, however, were the friends/family around them, the chemistry between the two of them, and the adorable dates Luke plans. Even though he is a supporter of a truly terrible football club (#YWNA thank you very much), he’s a guy I’d love to have as the owner of my local. I truly do wish he and Mia all the happiness in the world.