Mr. Right Across the Street by Kathryn Freeman was a perfect romance to kick off 2021. I also participated in a read along with One More Chapter. The photo featured was a challenge from the read along . We were prompted to use inspiration from the book to create something fun. I created a mocktail like the one Luke created in his bar.

First and foremost you must read this with a British accent, unless of course you already have a British accent then well, just read it. I am a sucker for a British rom-com, there’s something about the banter between lover’s in British rom-com that reminds me of my beloved southern culture.

Mia is a young techy type living away from home in a small apartment in a new place, escaping a horrible ex when she notices her across the street neighbor who happens to flex his muscles at the same time everyday in perfect line of vision from her at home office. At the insistence of her family Mia decides to venture out and finds her self at a bar that’s tended by none other than Mr. Right Across the Street, Luke. Over time, mistakes, secrets and a unique way of communicating, Mia and Luke find they have more in common than their apartment complex. When Luke first showed interest in Mia she was coy and stand offish, going as far as not giving her number so Luke had to get creative and started leaving messages taped to his window as way to get her attention. Mia reciprocated and they quickly fell into a romance spawned from post it notes.

I loved the romance between Luke and Mia. I found it fun and refreshing, new and not rushed. I loved the way Kathryn drew out the build up for both the reader and the characters. The ending was great including the proposal which was perfect and tied the whole plot up in a perfect bow at the perfect moment. There was so much growth in all the characters, including my favorite character, Stan and the relationship he had with Mia was perfect.

Final takeaway: We can let our past define our future or we can rewrite with new experiences. If we are patient with each other as we learn to trust again the experiences and relationships we gain will be so worth it and satisfying.

Thank you One More Chapter, NetGalley and Kathryn Freeman for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A delightfully sweet story. Kathryn Freeman never fails to put a smile on my face. I had a lot of fun reading this book some parts were a little cheesy, a little cliché, but I was all in. Mia moves to Manchester to escape a stalker ex and prove to her family that she can make it on her own. When Mia meets Luke she is convinced that he would never like a “girl like her“. Unwilling to give out her phone number, when Luke realizes Mia lives right across from him he starts posting messages in the window. What follows is a very cute, will they, won’t they.

I really liked Mia and Luke and I thought they were perfect together. Mia did however frustrate me throughout a lot of this book. Poor Luke kept trying over and over and over again to prove how much he liked her and she was not convinced. Now this could be because Luke was this gorgeous perfect sweet guy that every girl was throwing themselves at (that part was a bit OTT). Despite an occasional eye roll over Lukes‘s hotness and my desire to shake Mia I really really liked this book. And that ending was so ooey gooey good!

This book in emojis 🍹 🏋🏼‍♂️ 🪟 📝 🐰 💻

*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

It's always disappointing when a book sounds so promising but just doesn't deliver.

This had all the makings of a cute rom-com: Mia moves to Manchester to prove to herself that she can live alone and doesn't need a man or her family to rescue her. She's coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship and is basically hiding when *gasp* she meets a neighbor (Luke) who owns the bar downstairs. They begin to leave notes for each other in the window since she will not give anyone her phone number. Sounds good...right? It would have been except...

Mia is written as a very unlikable character. Very. Unlikable. I think the "not like other girls" trope was what the author was aiming for, but instead it came out to be offputting. I would have believed this book more if you told me Mia was 18, but instead she was supposed to be in her 30's. She was jealous and harsh about all the women Luke slept with in the past (ahem - some slut shaming here, because those women should be ASHAMED of themselves for casually sleeping around with such an attractive man!), and instead of talking things out like an adult, she would run away and cry at home. This happened no less than 500 times, and it got old fast. So did the mentions of how amazing Mia was because she didn't wear makeup (she can't be bothered!) or wore a tshirt and jeans to a bar (ummm...she's the first?) She dyes her hair weird colors (so does my 5 year old - she'll be glad to know that makes her better than everyone else). She's the nerd and Luke is the cool kid! Again - was she 18 or in her 30's?

Mia befriends her neighbor, who is fat. How do I know this? Because it is mentioned every time he appears. Did you know fat people don't deserve love? Because when he was nervous to ask out a local cafe owner, instead of being supportive, Mia begins to tell him how he should start to lose weight. What an amazing friend!

The weirdest part of the book for me was when Mia said Luke had no self worth because he didn't want to take a customer home from the bar. He had explained that he knew the customer only wanted to do that because she was trying to spite her ex-boyfriend. Sounds pretty self aware! Nope. Awww so sad that he had no self-worth. WHAT?!?!

I just can't get behind the "I am only strong if I do not have a man by my side" rhetoric this book gave off.

One last thing: at the end of my review copy were pictures of the other books she has written. In looking at them, the same person gave a blurb for each one. And each blurb said the same thing: "Amazing chemistry!" Ummm...why is the same blurb on each book?

I wanted to love this one so badly, as I was so intrigued by the plot description, however something fell flat and I ended up DNFing the book around the 40% mark. The characters fell a bit flat, and did not seem to have any redeemable or interesting qualities that would make their story memorable to me. The chemistry was missing, which is always unfortunate in a romance.

An adorable and completely heartwarming read, the characters are so cute, I loved Mia so much, there were some lovely twists and the story had a touch of drama but not too much, (I like an anxiety free life currently ) Overall, just a wonderful read, pure escapism and happiness in book form

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources. Special thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars

Everything about this adorable cover (and synopsis) screamed at me to read this book and so I was very excited at the opportunity to join the blog tour for it. Having read the story now, I'm a bit disappointed that the people on the cover aren't accurate representations of the characters (i.e. Mia is actually blonde and Luke is mega buff) but I know only a weirdo like me notices and gets bothered by things like that. 😂 Back to the story itself! I have quite mixed feelings about it because while I did enjoy it for the most part there were things about it that also increasingly irritated me and also made me uncomfortable.

The story pulled me in really quickly. I liked our initial glimpses of Mia and although she has a major "not-like-other-girls" complex, she came across as relatable. We also quickly learn that Luke, the man next door and owner of the local bar, is very much a ladies man. He makes it clear that it's always about sex with him--that is, of course, until Mia steps into his bar. Were some bits of their 'we're just friends' routine a bit cliche? Sure, but I still had fun with it. Their non-dates around Manchester were so much fun and their flirty banter definitely had me chuckling a time or two. I loved the cheesiness of the names that Luke would come up with for Mia and her hair, not to mention the cocktails he'd make her! Of course, there's the way they communicate with each other which I also thought was really cute. I love the idea of leaving little messages for each other like that!

The side characters were also real winners for me. From Luke's side, we have his brother Phil and his close friend Sandy. They were such great support systems for him and I honestly loved how close they were--the brotherly and friendly banter was the best! From Mia's side, we have more characters that I loved, especially her curmudgeonly neighbour, Stan, and cafe owner, Naomi, plus her sister and mum were also lovely! I really appreciated that she formed such a great friendship with Stan and that they genuinely cared about each other and pushed each other to go after what they each wanted! I really wish we saw more of these side characters!

Where I started to run into trouble was actually with Mia's character. She ran very hot/cold with Luke until the very end (yes, THE VERY END) and that got old very quickly. She was incredibly judgemental and despite Luke's obvious efforts to prove how serious he was about being with her, she kept reverting to her juvenile "the cool boys can't like nerdy girls" mentality and it was like, girl, please! 🤦🏻‍♀️ You're no longer in high school--that no longer applies! Not saying Luke was always perfect because he made some pretty dumb mistakes, but I honestly felt at times that Luke got the very short end of the stick because of how harshly Mia judged him. It really wasn't fair on his character. They both definitely could've worked harder on their communication but also, a large part of that was kinda on Mia. It's "funny" because there were times Mia would acknowledge how she was being bitchy and judgemental but then she'd keep doing it again anyway. 🤷🏻‍♀️

There's also a fair bit of slut-shaming in this story. Another thing about Mia that made me uncomfortable was her constant need to judge women for putting an effort into their appearance. I understand being insecure about appearances but Mia was so adamant about not caring and having a "what you see is what you get" persona. Yet she was so fixated on comparing other women's appearances to her own and making them out to be try-hard attention-seekers just cos they made an effort to look nice. Not to mention she'd always harp on about them doing it just to catch Luke's attention and um, I'm sorry, can't they just be dressing up for themselves for a night out? If she was so happy with not caring about how she looked, I don't think she'd have been so obsessed over this. Plus, it would've been easy for her to put in some effort if she was so worried rather than shaming other women for doing it.

Okay... so I got a bit frustrated with her character 😬 She wasn't all bad though and for the most part, I did enjoy the friendships and romance. The side characters really made this more enjoyable for me! Overall, this is a light-hearted and entertaining romance that I think is perfect for those looking for something easy and fun to read--not to mention just a little bit steamy, too! 😉

My son lives in Manchester, and from his living room, you can see across the street into the lives of neighbours that you might never meet. This has always fascinated me. I want to make up stories about these peoples lives.
This wonderful book, set in Manchester tells the story of two people who watch each other, then meet, and because of a history of mistrust, begin communication by posting messages in the window.
Although this is a light and easy read, there are some serious themes in the book that are particularly relatable.
Sometimes we don't know what we are looking for. And sometimes, it is right under our noses, or across the Street.
I loved Kathryn's writing and the way she described Manchester during the couple's non-dates. It made me want to visit again. Perhaps when Covid is gone.

If you need a boost, what better way than to read a good book - and this is a very good book!

Mia has a poor dating history; she always seems to pick wrong 'uns. After her latest mistake won't leave her alone she moves from the south of England to Manchester in the north. Working from home, it doesn't take long for her to notice the hot guy in the flat opposite - the one who works out each day at 10am - not that Mia's looking, you understand. When he begins to leave notes on his window for her, an uneasy friendship begins to blossom, but Jake has problems of his own to deal with. When he offers to show Mia the hot spots of her new home city, there is a definite spark between them and when he creates a cocktail purely for her, she is definitely under his spell. With both their pasts to deal with, is there a future?

What a lovely story! An original tale, beautifully written with well-developed characters - and the cocktails are rather intriguing! The places visited around Manchester were interesting to someone who used to travel there regularly on business. Jake would be every women's dream of a neighbour; I was reminded of the Coke advert where the women used to gather at the office window, same time each day to ogle the very fit guy on the other side of the glass! There are plenty of giggles and a big slice of fun in this one, mixed in with some awkward moments and and some 'cor-phew' ones. Not a straightforward romance by any means, but definitely a very cute one worth reading. Highly recommended to all who enjoy a good romance with plenty of content, and one I'm happy to give 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley and to Rachel Gilbey for my spot on this tour; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

The first thing that popped into my mind after reading Mr Right Across the Street was the Taylor Swift music video from You Belong With Me. The idea of holding up signs to the boy next door to communicate. Mr Right Across the Street was the adult version.

Mia, new to Manchester has not made many friends but she has found a neighbor she can spy on everyday at 10am while he works out. But once she realized that neighbor is the owner of The Bar Downstairs (literally the name), and knows his name is Luke, she finds it hard to spy, and starts to think of him as a friend.

After turning him down the first night they meet, Luke writes her a note on his window, followed by another, until Mia finally responds with a note of her own. Quickly they both become a staple in the others life. They banter, explore Manchester, tell others they are just “friends” but Mia continues to hold Luke at arms length because of her past with choosing guys. But quickly their friendship builds and she finds herself not being able to stop wondering what if.

This book was cute story line, quick to read, and had a whole cast full of fun characters. I enjoyed this more friends to lovers book (rather than the enemies which you see so often).

I was totally sold on the synopsis and cover of Mr. Right Across the Street. I enjoyed how the relationship between Mia and Luke developed over the course of the book. Their window messages were adorable and creative. This story was just a little too slow paced for me but it was still cute.

I am so so disappointed with this book.

The plot sounds funny and romantic but I was angry most of the time.

The fatshaming in this book is too much
Not only that calling all girls that dress nice and fancy for pubs are sl*ts
However is your wear simple converse, jeans and simple t shirt you are a girl to keep.

WHAT THE HELL

I cannot believe a book that was release this year is written in that way.

I was able to read this book thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley.

The plot of "Mr Right Across the Street" sounded really sweet, but I didn't feel it like that.
Mia has moved to Manchester in order to have a new life, to (try) make new friends. Interesting is that she likes to see her neighbor through the window while he's doing exercise, but when she meets him, she doesn't trust in him, and that happens through a while in the book, which I don't think was fair for Luke. He's really sweet and falls for her.
But I had I hard time trying to read it and enjoy it. It might be because I can't relate to Mia. She doesn't know what she wants and it's not able to see why Luke falls in love with her.

I am such a sucker for slowburn romance it's absurd. This book delivered. Two people with a history full of their own issues meet and boom instaspark. But a life's worth of drama and pain are hard to overlook and Mia's trust does not come easy. A tentative friendship with the neighborhood playboy is risky enough. But as time goes by and feelings evolve will she be able to hold steadfast in her friends only stance against the charming Luke? Does she even want to?

I absolutely adored this book.

Mia has been checking out the guy in the apartment opposite hers through her window as she works from home, so when she bumps in to him in the bar below their apartments, it is safe to say she is caught off guard.
Luke is instantly mesmerized by Mia, as she doesn't feel the need to 'fit in' and is happy being her own person.
When Luke spots the tell-tale bright green hair through the window opposite, he decides to make a move and leaves a note in the window...and this is where this beautiful love story really begins.

I adored the characters in this book, both Mia and Luke were so wonderfully developed, with each of them having their own unique personalities and quirks, it was impossible not to love them!.
The storyline was absolute perfection and had me captivated until the very end. It flowed beautifully and was full of humour and romance, along with the 'will they, wont they?' that had me invested!.

This book has absolutely everything you could possible want from a romantic comedy, and I would certainly recommend it to everyone! A much needed form of escapism right now.

this book reminded me of freya north books with its heroine being kind of timid and insecure. Our hero was very sweet and kept giving reassurances to the heroine, it's a good chick flick read for fans of bridgit jones

I thought I would give this author another try after sadly dnf-ing a previous book of hers. A lot of people seem to really love her work so I decided to take the leap and try again.

I just don't think this author is for me. I didn't find myself invested in the story or the characters and at times found myself skimming the book.

Sorry!!!

Mia moves to Manchester to get away from her past relationships and is trying to have a fresh start. Luke, the flat opposite, is the owner of the bar that Mia visits where there is an instant connection.

This book is definitely a slow-burn and was a cute read. For me, where the book fell short was the focus on the “not like other girls” trope. I loved Luke and Mia’s non-dates. Their communication by notes in their flat windows made me swoon! The book does showcase consent and the characters have some serious chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun book that I sat and read over the course of an afternoon. Mia, a newcomer to the Manchester area eagerly awaits 10 each morning when she can watch the gorgeous hunk in the opposite flat work out.

She has decided it is time to start over and stand on her own two feet. She has been a bit of a recluse since moving into her flat, her mum and sister want her to go out and meet people and find friends. Mia not so much, she isn't one for socialising, doesn't appear to like letting people find out much about her. But then her last relationship has left her doubting herself so its no wonder really.

Good job she walks into the local bar and finds people to talk to then, especially when one of them is the guy opposite who works out. She soon discovers from others that he is a player, he doesn't do relationships and he, being the cool guy isn't going to be interested in her, the nerd!

This is such a lovely story about opposites attracting, but when you have a reputation then its hard for anyone to see past that. Wanting to find herself and gradually into a new life in a new area, Mia finds herself making a deal to get to know the area a little better. As she gets to know people Mia finds that not everyone is quite as they seem. Not quite as shallow as she originally thought, so is she going to take a chance!

The author created as tory with some very likeable characters and with plenty of will they/won't they moments. It was a story that was easy to get into and provided a light-hearted literary escape, ideal for fans of rom-coms and contemporary romance. One that has some serious moments but also plenty of chuckles. One I would thoroughly recommend.

"It took a few months, a forest of paper, but thank God she finally got the message."

That about sums it up :)
This is the story of Mia and Luke, as they find each other, let go of all their fears and let love in. Mia is recovering from a past relationship that left her a little shook and a lot less trusting and Luke is the bartender from across the street that she sees every day working out. They are both so likeable and beautifully constructed personalities. A lot of small steps, a whole lot of introspection, wonderful supporting characters and here is a recipe for an adorable rom com.

This book was an interesting and well built combination of a "real feel" as their love seems to develop step by step, no insta wham bam and of "too good to be true in reality" feeling. Both Mia and Luke are just so good at reading the other person, at making the other one feel special, both of them are super empathetic and try to see the situation from the other one's perspective. This at times seemed too good to be true.

Even the "bad person" is not that bad when you see her motives and when things settle. So this whole story is drama free and pure loveliness. Does this feel forced? Not necessarily, just a little further from reality than one might feel. But it makes it all so sweet. This is a book for those times when you need something uncomplicated, adorable, not necessarily funny but uplifting and sweet.

"I love that you did this way, because this is us. (...) A bit geeky, a bit flashy, a lot crazy and totally wonderful."

Mr Right Across the Street started off a bit slow for me. Mia recently moved to Manchester to start fresh and hadn't really been going anywhere or doing anything. It was a slow meander through her reasons for moving and her first encounter with Luke. Once Mia and Luke started their non-dates things really picked up from there.

Luke's past isn't the best, and he has more than one secret. I figured out one, but not the other. While I get why he kept the one a secret I personally wish he hadn't kept the other secret, but I also get it.

Due to Mia's past relationship she is leery of passing out her phone number so Luke and Mia only communicate via window messages. This was my favorite aspect of the story and I loved their cute messages.

I also adored the secondary characters, Luke's brother Phil, Mia's sister Elle and the rest of her family were all awesome and there for their people. I also really liked the bar, which in a way was a character itself.

Mia and Luke were good together, and while of course there were things happening to prevent a perfectly smooth relationship none of them were over the top, which I always appreciate.