Member Reviews
I absolutely loved this book, like with my entire being, and it's funny because it's the second romance book I've read in a week and it made me understand why I didn't love the first one perfectly. I recently read It Happened One Summer and while I loved the characters on their own, I didn't love them together as much as I had hoped (still four stars, but it was missing that oomph for me) and now, having read this one, I think I know exactly what was missing: (1) a slow burn (although I knew that was part of it) and (2) more romance than sex. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sex in books at all, and in fact, I found this one nearly as steamy as Tessa Bailey's book, but the difference between the two is that lust came before love in Bailey's novel and in this one...love came before lust, and I think that's what I need and prefer in my romances because it's what I look for in my own.
I absolutely adored the progression of their relationship from strangers to roommates to best friends to boyfriend/girlfriend to lovers. It was such a slow burn that I was screaming at points "just kiss!" and that's the way I want it!
I also appreciated so much that this book tackles trauma and grief, but I think it's important to acknowledge that this is not a soft, always happy romance. I mean, yes, it is, and I don't think it's too heavy, but if you're looking for something that won't make you emotional, I would turn the other way. Part of the reason I loved this is because it had really unexpected conversations about love after abuse (in this case, parental) and love after grief (loss of parents) and while I have experienced neither of those things, I still really understood the struggles of both characters and how the narrative gave them time to grow into themselves before they grew as a pair. It's very therapy-positive and the climax of the book wasn't Sadie seeing that love cured her, but that it made her realize how desperately she needs to be in therapy after all, and that's a beautiful message, in my opinion. And while I haven't experienced what she has, I still related to her so much with her insecurities and harsh treatment of herself and I think this book taught me a lot.
I just really loved this book. That's all haha.
Actually, I have one more comment because I think if this book gets a little more buzz, it'll end up coming up in other reviews: the entire main cast of characters are very privileged. While Sadie is very hard-working, a lot of the success in her business comes from the people around her being in extremely stable financial states. She is able to move in with Jack for an extremely low rent because he is filthy rich. She gets an investment from Nick in her business so she can open up a storefront because Nick is...you guessed it...loaded and thank goodness the narrative does discuss the money aspect of things a lot so the reader isn't clueless about the rather convenient sequence of events (and Sadie does acknowledge her own privilege), but it still treats it as though it's something that could be feasible for people, when it's honestly probably not. So, I think that while I don't really mind this part of the book, I think it may rub some readers the wrong way as none of the characters ever really face financial hardship.
(Also I do find it funny because as a West Coast transplant on the East Coast, I could soooo tell the author was from California because Sadie refers to marijuana as "pot" which I have noticed that not a single person on the East Coast does. It's very much a California nickname for it, whereas East Coasters tend to prefer "weed." When I read that line, I said "omg I wonder if the author is from California" and then I looked at her Goodreads bio and she is!)
Anyway, long story short, loved this one, even if the characters have experiences no New Yorker will ever have. I want a love like Sadie's and Jack's.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I ended up reading Lease on Love in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t want it to end. I was captivated instantly and not once was I bored as I read. Sadie and Jack are roommates who met through an app, to friends to lovers and this slow burn romance set in NYC hits you in all the feels. Sadie is outspoken, disorganized and super funny. While Jack is quiet, mysterious and so caring. As book boyfriends go, Jack is top tier. When they finally got together I was screaming! I think Ballard even taught me some things about unconditional love. In addition to the romance, there are some hilarious scenes and Sadie’s banter with her friends and Jack to push him outside his comfort zone had me LIVING for those moments.
This well written, swoon worthy, feel-good romance totally won me over, you HAVE to read it!
Read if you like:
- Slow burn romance
- NYC/Brownstones
- Plants & Floral Arrangements
- Found family
- Opposites attract
- Art
Thank you to #NetGalley and @putnambooks who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Read 👏 This 👏 Book!
#leaseonlove #netgalley #putnambooks #releaseday #pubday #romance #romancenovels #romancereader #romcom #fiction #bookreview #4starread #booksbooksbooks
This book has all the elements I look for in a great romance. It was slow-burn, found family, roommates/close-proximity, and opposites attract. I love these tropes so much, and it made this book so entertaining for me. There were also some tough subjects tackled in the story. I don’t want to spoil them, but it does deal with grief and emotional abuse, so be aware of that going in.
The characters felt so real and I love when the heroine is relatable. She was hot-tempered (my girl likes to cuss), sarcastic, yet sweet and caring. I loved her, and her group of friends were such a trip. They were so full of love and support. Jack was nerdy and nice, but a bit withdrawn. He’s the type of guy that makes me swoon. I love a nerdy hero (it’s literally my kryptonite). They were so perfect for each other and really balanced each other out. The book has slow-burn and steam, so it checks all the boxes!
This was such a great debut!! I’m definitely going to be reading more books Ballard writes.
Thank you Putnam and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating 4.5
Isn’t this cover gorgeous?! The colors used are eye-catching. I immediately requested to read this book without knowing more than the cover. The first line literally had me laughing out loud. Sadie’s character is so full of personality and humor. Trust me when I say she is a lot and honestly, I found her to be a breath of fresh air. I haven’t read a romance book with a character like hers in awhile. The same can be said about Jack’s character. His innocence and how he differed from Sadie’s personality was so cute. I love that he knew she would be a handful but yet he took on the challenge of having her be his roommate. He was desperate to add some much needed change in his life.
This book had me smiling and laughing from almost every page! Only one minor, minor complaint and it’s a me thing not a book thing. I didn’t like how long it took for them to finally get together. I know this is a slow burn but it was too slow of a burn. They knew how they felt about one another really early on but never gave it a go. I do understand Jack’s reasoning behind it but I felt like they could have taken a chance on one another sooner. Again, this is just a me thing. Overall, this was a great friends to lovers/slow burn romance. It had unique main characters and lovable side characters. I would definitely recommend this book and will be reading more from this author in the future.
**Thank you so much @PutnamBooks for the #gifted copy on #NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **
— LEASE ON LOVE —
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
Thank you so much for this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this flatshare meets beach read debut! I found myself smiling and giggling and totally rooting for all the characters. This is a slowwww burn (they don’t end up kissing until 60%ish) but for good reasons and the tension build up was well done.
What I loved most was the friendships between them all. I wish I had a group of friends like the fearsome foursome! The text threads between them where hilarious and possibly my favorite part. And when they added Jack to the thread my heart was bursting. I love a good found family trope!
Also, I was very pleasantly surprised with the diversity in this book. It’s sad but many of the books I read never have much diversity but this author did a fabulous job with it.
If you are a fan of plants, the f word, and a good slow burn with a little spice, I think you’d love this book. Highly recommend!
Lease on Love was a cute romance that, while a bit unrealistic, was great for escapism. I adored Sadie's relationships with her friends, I loved the setting, and the slow burn romance was pretty great as well. While I liked Jack's character quite a bit, there was something a bit...off. I think that it was he was so nice? All the time? He hardly knew Sadie in the beginning and he was constantly doing things for her. I don't know. Overall though, I really liked this and would recommend it to those looking for some contemporary escapism.
I flew through this and loved every minute of it! First, I was so drawn to the heroine's story of overcoming her struggles and really building up her floral business - her hard work, dedication, and certain level of quirk were fun to root for!
Second, the romance was so wonderful; I loved their dynamic and how we slowly got the hero out of his shell. It felt authentic, fun and his thoughtfulness was just so endearing.
My only point of feedback - is that the main character's negative self-talk of "I'm selfish" or "I'm an asshole" got incredibly repetitive. While I understand negative self-talk that stems from trauma can be this, I really just wanted the author to use other language than those two words or even make it more subtle? It just seemed like an overload at times.
Sometimes you pick a book up because of a cover. Sometimes you pick it up because of a descriptions. And sometimes you pick it up because a bunch of your trusted reading friends mention how good they found a book. And that was the case for Lease on Love. Don’t misunderstand me, the description is great and it is definitely something I would have eventually come across and picked up, but I found it because of friends and I’m so happy I did. While it wasn’t 5 stars, it was so close and I’m so happy I read it.
Lease on Love is about Sadie Green, a girl that needs a break. When she is passed up for a promotion she is overdue for she releases she needs a drink, a new place to live, and maybe a one night stand. Sadly those things don’t mix well and Sadie finds herself on what she thinks is a date with Jack Thomas but is actually an interview to be his roommate in his amazing brownstone in Brooklyn. On paper Sadie and Jack are complete opposites. She is all over the place and loud and charming. Jack is quiet and reserved and is still grieving the unexpected death of his parents. But as these two spend time together the realize maybe being opposites isn’t a bad thing. And as Jack slowly comes out of his shell and lets Sadie in they both realize maybe there is something else there between them more than roommates.
It’s true that Lease on Love was so close to being a 5 star read for me. Literally until the last 10% I was ready to give it all the stars because really the book was fantastic. Sadie was funny and kind and a complete mess, but in the best kind of way. And Jack was so caring and sweet and reserved. They played off each other so well and it made their transition from roommates to friends to lovers so effortlessly smooth. It was like they were made for each other and that alone made the reading experience amazing. Sure they were each dealing with personal crises, and Jack was dealing with some serious grief and loneliness, but they were there for each other and let the other move at there own pace. And that is why I was so bummed with the last 10%. That last part of the book just did not work for me and that made me sad because it was so close to perfection.
Even with my lack of love of the ending portion of the book, Lease on Love was a delightful story and one I won’t soon forget. Sadie and Jack were delightful characters and characters you truly need in your life. This is definitely a book you want on your shelf. Trust me on that.
***Book Review***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Title: Lease on Love
Author: Falon Ballard
Lease on Love had me laughing non-stop. And I’d do pretty much anything to be friends with Sadie, Gemma, And Harley. They spoke to my soul.
Sadie is an inspiration. Taking a risk to make her dream come true and not stopping until it becomes a reality.
And of course no rom com is complete without its boyfriend. And Jack is an amazing one. I loved him and how much he blossomed once Sadie entered his life.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Penguin for sending me this Lease on Love in return of an honest review
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. In the beginning, Sadie was such a #girlboss that her character and language were really off-putting for me. However, I'm really glad I stuck with her story because I fell in love with Jack and their relationship. Falon Ballard didn't rely on any tropes to drive their relationship along and I was giddy reading about them. The author also made Sadie and her friends' struggles so realistic (I was personally offended by Gemma's job-hating speech, so thanks for that, Falon). There was no putting this book down for me.
Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis in comments.
Lease on Love was my biggest surprise read of January! I read the synopsis on NetGalley, thought it sounded interesting, and dived right in, but as a debut novel, I wasn’t expecting fireworks. Boy, was I wrong! I read this baby in one day. ONE. DAY.
Read this if you like:
- Roomates to friends to lovers
- Slow burn romance with ALL THE TENSION
- Friends turned into found family
- Close proximity trope
- A charming depiction of NYC (especially Brooklyn)
I loved the humor of Sadie being so drunk that she mixes up a roomate finding app with a dating app and shows up to their meeting thinking it’s a date 😅 Talk about a memorable meet cute! But, I also loved how the author balanced the humorous moments with the serious, tender, and even downright steamy moments.
Both Sadie and Jack are learning to deal with the trauma of their pasts in order to move forward, and I truly enjoyed the tension of them knowing they want to be together, but waiting until they are ready. In the meantime, Sadie attacks her dream of becoming a sustainable florist with a vigor that I found inspiring. And Jaaaack 🥰 Definitely a book boyfriend who deserves all the heart eyes for the enormity of his kindness and the sincerity with which he wants to show Sadie how he feels about her.
Once they finally do get together, I found it well worth the wait! This was easily a 5 star read for me, and I cannot wait to read more from this author!
After Sadie gets fired from her job, she decides to try using a dating app. Unbeknownst to her, she was using a roommate search app. Needless to say when she meets her "date" Jack at a coffee shop there was some awkwardness. But it works in her favor and she moves into Jack's beautiful brownstone in Brooklyn. She also decides that it's the perfect time to open her own business. As she is getting settled into her new business and her new home, she starts getting to know Jack and quickly realizes that there are feelings there on both sides. Sadie and Jack both have difficult pasts that they must overcome before they can truly be together.
I breezed through the book, It was the perfect light read that I needed to get me out of my reading slump. I enjoyed the group of friends that Sadie had and how they so eagerly brought Jack into the fold. But unfortunately, I was left wanting more from the book. I would have loved it if Jack and Sadie had been fleshed out a little bit more, especially Jack, who was very closed off for most of the book. It would have been great if there were some chapters from his perspective. Also, in most of these kinds of books, there's some conflict that keeps the lovers apart for a bit, and although this book had one, it kind of feels like it was thrown in there last minute.
When a job promotion doesn’t go the way she planned, Sadie finds herself needing to start over. After a few too many drinks she thinks she’s joining a dating app and when she shows up on the date, she finds out it was a roommate app. She sees the home and falls in love with it so she decides to move in! Her new landlord is Jack, a man who is grieving the loss of both of his parents and has felt lost for seven years.
Oh my goodness READ THIS BOOK NOW. That’s it. That’s my review. Just kidding. I adored this book. There is truly so much about it to love but I’ll try to keep this short.
First of all Sadie and Jack might be one of my favorite romance book couples of all time. To see how beautifully they supported each other through difficult times was amazing. They didn’t have any unnecessary drama, and the big fight we did see was handled so maturely. I loved seeing how they organically opened up and fell for each other, and I loved how as a reader I was learning their bak stories as they shared them with each other. They each went through their own healing journey throughout the book and both were incredible.
Sadie’s growth in particular was inspiring. What started out as a moment where she felt her entire life was over, turned into an opportunity for all of her dreams to come true. I loved seeing how she persevered and worked so hard to start over in so many ways - including building her own business from the ground up.
Finally, the friendships. Sadie had the most incredible group of friends. I loved their sass with each other, especially in those text exchanges. But more importantly, their unconditional love and support for each other was the type of friendship everyone should be so lucky to have. It was also great to see how they opened their group to Jack right away and how perfectly he fit in.
I could keep going, but I need to leave reasons for others to pick the book up - but I LOVED this and will be recommending this to everyone and anyone who will listen.
Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I can’t gush about this book enough. Lease on Love is the debut novel of Falon Ballard and I was completely blown away. It tells the story of Sadie who is fired from her job and agrees to move in with the mysterious Jack who offers her cheap rent. She soon envelopes Jack in every aspect of her life including her friend group and new business. The pair become friends and then after a long slow burn they become more. Both have secrets and are dealing with familial trauma to the best of their ability but it isn’t always enough.
I absolutely adored both Sadie and Jack. The book is told entirely from Sadie’s POV and there were times I wished for Jack’s side, but at the same time so much of the book would not have worked with is POV. The duality of Sadie’s insecurity and confidence made her a very interesting character with fascinating thought patterns. Jack’s more reserved nature was the perfect foil to her exuberance. I absolutely loved the found-family aspect of this book. Both Sadie and Jack no longer have their biological families in their life so, they very heavily rely on their friends for love and support, and their friends are more than willing to give it. I love found families in romances and this one was just exceptional. I’m very excited to see what Falon Ballard comes up with next.
Thank you to NetGalley, GP Putnam, and Penguin for the ARC.
(I'm currently unable to post on Instagram, but when I am able to again, I will be posting this review there too.)
I loved loved loved this book and recommended it to other friends. It follows the rom com format I’ve come to love but deviates enough that I felt satisfied by the story and the end. In fact, the set up of the book was completely different from the rest that I loved the career change and growth and none of it felt forced because of the first few chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
thank you for the book in exchange for an honest review. Wow I loved this book. If loved Evvie Drake Starts Over, definitely check this one out. I loved the opposites attract trope. We have a snarky, say what's on your mind vs the quiet, thoughtful, elusive roommate. Both characters have struggles; Sadie with self doubt and Jack working through grief from the loss of his parents. The way they both supported each other through it and patiently waited for them to grow separate and together was beautiful! I loved the supportive friendships in this book as well. The side characters were unique and I loved getting to know each of them. The texting banter in this one is top notch. The end of the book conflict caused a bit of an overreaction (although I guess a lot of conflicts are this way) but the way it was resolved was mature and great communication. Loved this debut!
I am a sucker for a good old grumpy sunshine roommate romcom. This was a perfect romantic comedy, the dynamics were funny and the characters really likeable. It is perfect for the fan of the flatshare!
After Sadie’s well deserved promotion is handed to the bosses new son in law with no experience, she needs a change. When a random bad date turns into an offer to be his roommate in his park slope brownstone for a ridiculously low amount of rent, Sadie cant say no. her new roommate is a bit of a hermit, which is fine since is is taking over the kitchen trying to get her now floral business off the ground. Over time though, she and Jack get to know each other…and maybe both want more?
Oh man, two people that have dealt with horrible traumas finding each other and trying to find a way to be what the other needs, while also trying to do what they need for themselves. I just adored both Sadie and Nick, but I can’t leave out the fabulous side characters. This was just the absolute best group of friends and it made me want to hang out with them! This was just the heartwarming book I needed right now and I highly recommend it!
After the promotion Sadie has been working towards for six years is given to her boss's soon to be son-in-law, her outburst during a company meeting lands Sadie unemployed and lost. A night of drinking leads Sadie to accidentally set up a meeting on a roommate app, instead of the dating app she thought it was in her drunken haze. Nerdy Jack Thomas was nothing Sadie was expecting, but just might be everything she needs in her life. He offers her a room in his Brooklyn brownstone and the confidence she needs to go for her dreams of opening up a sustainable floral shop. As the pair spend more time together, these roommates turned friends soon realize that there might be more to each other that meets the eye.
Lease on Love is an amazing book and I can already tell it's going to be one of my top reads of 2022. The author's voice is fresh, unique, and incredibly fun. I am absolutely obsessed with Sadie's friend group of Gemma, Nick, and Harley. They are my people. Between their snarky group texts and how they will do anything for each other, I found myself wanting to be a part of their found family. The banter is spot on and any person whose favorite word is f*** is a friend of mine.
Sadie is such a layered heroine. Being in finance, she spent the last 6 years of her life obsessed with maintaining a perfect appearance, yet I loved seeing her break free of that mold as she figures out how to run a successful business. Ever a ball of energy, oozing enthusiasm, she still struggles with self confidence and self doubt, which was incredibly relatable. I loved her sassy, smart mouth and found myself constantly laughing out loud at her sharp sense of humor. Yet, I also appreciated her ability to read people, especially Jack and her friends, knowing just how to handle them in their times of need. Everyone needs a Sadie in their life.
Jack was the exact hero that Sadie needed. Even though he's completely opposite of her type, he wiggled his way into her heart slowly. At first, he was so painfully awkward and nerdy, so I adored watching him come out of his shell to prove to Sadie how much she has impacted his life. He surrounds himself with an air of mystery to his life, which kept me reading to find out what makes Jack tick and why he does what he does. Jack's little (and sometimes big) acts of love for Sadie completely warmed my heart. He whole-heartedly believes in Sadie. And who doesn't love a man that smells of coffee and paper?!?!?!
While the book was fun and light-hearted at times, it also delved into difficult topics like grief and parental verbal abuse. I appreciated how therapy was talked about openly. Jack's grief story hit me hard and the way he felt so hollow for so long completely encapsulates how difficult losing a parent or loved one can feel. Reading about his journey helped me with my own grief and was a comfort to read.
While I loved the entire friend group, Gemma was my girl. I NEED a book for Gemma. It was so refreshing to see a middle school teacher so accurately portrayed, struggling with the pressures of the profession and constantly wondering whether or not the job is worth it. Gemma's struggles perfectly articulated so many of the feelings I face daily as a teacher as well.
Lease on Love is beyond perfection. I inhaled the book in a day and honestly wish I could read it for the first time again. This forced proximity, friends to lovers, slow burn open door romance will have you laughing and swooning from the first page. While I have been loving dual POV books lately, the single POV suits the plot perfectly, especially with Jack’s personality. This is the type of book that inspires me to write. Lease on Love makes you feel, takes you on an emotional journey and is incredibly real. Thank you Falon for this masterpiece!
A huge thanks to Putnam for the advanced copy. Lease on Love published 2/1!
This book was the sunshine I didn’t know I needed coming out of a bleak winter fog. A wonderful debut, Lease on Love has all the key elements for a good romance: a fantastic friend group, witty banter (tons in the form of group texts), a likable heroine and adorable hero, and flawed characters that undergo growth and change for the better.
First the friend group: I would love to see a spin-off involving Nick and Harley or Gemma with their romantic pursuits. This group of friends is exactly what they should be, namely caring, devoted, hilarious, and ACTUAL FRIENDS to one another. The world would be a better place with friends like these, but they aren’t sugar coated and have their own struggles as well. The dialogue in group texts was possibly my favorite part of this book. It gives personality to what could have been some fluffy side characters and made them just as much a part of the story as Sadie’s.
Sadie Green is a delightful name for a woman trying to figure out what she wants from life. A misstep at her job (holy cow I loved that board room meeting—Sadie says everything we all think but would never verbalize) has her questioning who she is and what she wants to do with her life. And after an alcohol fueled evening, Sadie thinks she has arranged for a date after a long dry spell, but instead them she has clicked on a roommate finder app. Enter Jack—the shy reclusive roommate Sadie never knew she needed. Sadie and Jack complement each other so well. She is the loud mouth extrovert to his homebody introvert. Ballard does a wonderful job of building chemistry between the two and ratcheting up the tension between roommates. Even the friend group gets in on the will they/won’t they aspect of their relationship. What I greatly admired was that the author gives the characters time to grow and ready themselves before jumping head first into bed or a relationship. And that may be the best part of Lease on Love, the time jack and Sadie take to get to know one another.
Therapy is the silent character in this book and it is so refreshing to see it being incorporated seamlessly into Sadie and Jack’s story. Sadie struggles with positive mental health (a result of a verbally abusive parent) and Jack struggles with the loss of his parents from seven years ago, a fact that allows a discussion grief and healing in the present. The only reason I would not give this a full five stars is that I would have liked to see just a little bit more discussion between Jack and Sadie in regards to their healing and therapy. I think there could have been a real opportunity to talk about grief and pull more of Jack’s perspective into the book. But Ballard has a true winner on her hands and I’m sure many more book in the future with dynamic and lovable characters. A big thank you to NetGalley and G.P Putnam’s Sons Penguin Random House for this ARC. All thoughts expressed are my own.