Playful, swoony, and sexy. I wanted to hang out with Sadie and her friends, and Jack was my absolute catnip: nerdy, a little tortured, and head-over-feet for his girl. The burn was sooo good. I loved the botanical subplot too, and though I’ve never been to NY, the setting felt tightly drawn and immersive.

Read this book!

Appreciation and disclaimers: Thanks Putnam and Netgalley for an early read. The author and I are friends on social media.

Sadie Green just got passed up for a promotion and loses her job after swearing at her boss. She’s in a bad place and needs a new place to live and a hook-up, so while drunk one night, mixes up a dating app and roommate app where she finds herself meeting Jack Thomas who has a gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone available for dirt cheap rent. There’s a little bit of mystery and love in their story.

This story was perfection. Can we have a series please??? I LOVED this book. It was one of those warm and fuzzy, cuddle up on the couch, I wish I didn’t have to go to work the next day so I could stay up and finish it, type books. I loved the setting of this book, Brooklyn, NY sprinkled with my home state of CT, a few towns over from where I grew up. I also loved the group of friends and they’re dynamics. I think my favorite part of the writing was the text messages because the main character, Sadie’s, personality and wit just showed so well through those texts and had me cracking up.

Definitely pick this one up if you like rom-coms!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Wonderful story of about taking risks in life and love!

Following an unfiltered reaction to nepotism in the workplace, Sadie is without her steady job and is forced to make hard decisions about her life. She inadvertently makes the best decision by finding a housing situation that allows her to pursue a career she is passionate about. Along the way, she realizes she loves her landlord, Jack, who has been supportive and compassionate. His treatment and her growing success causes her self-doubt to creep in and create issues in her relationships. In addition, Jack is not very forthcoming about his past, fueling her insecurities and doubt. Sadie and Jack both grow over the course of the novel, trusting themselves and each other and healing from their pasts. Together, they create a bond based upon two whole people rather than two halves attempting to create a whole.

I loved the characters of this book, all were well developed. The writing was straight-forward, just like Sadie, and made this a quick and enjoyable read. The text exchanges were such a great addition that showcased the characters personalities in a fun and different way. I wish I could give a rating of 4.5! My only hang up being the ending. I feel like it was a little rushed.

What an amazing debut 👏🏻

When Sadie gets fired from her job she is forced to re-examine a lot about her life. A mixup with a dating app lands her with a beautiful apartment, an opportunity to pursue her passion for gardening, and… her roommate Jack.

This was a roommates to friends to lovers scenario and oh gosh, I was swooning. Close proximity and talk about a slow burn. I am dead. It was a little spicier than I was expecting but the real magic for me was in the slow burn.

I absolutely live for books that tackle that 28-30 year old crisis that myself and so many of my friend had- when you’re finally realizing what you want to do with life, and really have to tackle all of your “stuff” to get there. I loved that the characters in this book had their issues but also ultimately, tackled them like adults.

Thanks to netgalley and Putnam books for the ARC copy!

Books like this make me angry that NetGalley and Goodreads limit me to only 5 stars because this one deserves all the stars in the sky.

After Sadie gets fired from her job in finance she goes out with her friends, gets really drunk, opens what she thinks is a dating app and swipes right setting up a coffee date. Turns out what she really opened is a roommate-finding app and her "date" lands her at a coffee shop with Jack Thomas. Jack is a good looking, somewhat nerdy guy who is still grieving the unexpected loss of his parents and has basically holed up in his beautiful Brooklyn Brownstone for the last 7 years. When he offers Sadie to move in for dirt cheap rent, she can't pass it up and they both end up getting more than the could have ever imagined out the deal.

This book has:

* friends to lovers;
* roommates/forced proximity;
* the best cinnamon roll mc who is almost too good to be true;
* open discussion of therapy and mental health;
* found family and the most amazing friends group;
* sloooooooow burn but it is so worth it; and
* a lot of journey of self discovery and healing.

Sadie and Jack were perfection. And I say that a lot but man....I am not sure there has ever been a character like Jack. These two were the perfect compliment to each other. She is loud and has no filter while he is quiet and reclusive. Even as friends/roommates they are just the perfect pair. And the way their backstories slowly come out through the story is so beautiful. We are the reader start to understand why they are the way they are and it is just masterfully done. This story unfolds to organically and beautifully it is hard to believe this is a debut from Ballard. The healing journey both Sadie and Jack go on is so wonderful to experience and I loved the frank discussion of therapy and that there wasn't some "magic" fix for trauma or abuse.

And don't even get me started on the friends circle. I loved the use of texting to tell the story at times and the back and forth between the friends. I wanted to be apart of this group so much. When this book was over I almost wanted to cry because I wanted to move to NYC and find these people and make them let me into their friends circle! ha ha.

I will continue to scream from the rooftops about how much I loved this book and I cannot wait to see what else Ballard has in store for us because if this is what she gives us as a debut, we are in for a treat!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Putnam and NetGalley for allowing me read this one. I have a feeling I will be rereading it many more times. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

On January 4 I finished my first “it was so great” book of 2022 & it was Falon Ballard’s Lease on Love.

An imperfect & awesome MC named Sadie Green who says the “f word” a lot, gets fired for losing her temper while standing up for herself at work, is unapologetic and driven about her ambitions & not ashamed of the one night stands she’s had before meeting the other MC…I mean sign me right the heck up.

& Jack Thomas, the other MC, so mysterious & nerdy & awkward & “lean” with a great smile & freaking glasses. He has generous man of mystery written all over him.

They’re brought together when Sadie inadvertently applies to be his roommate & what ensues is a slow burn, a relationship they both want to be deliberate & considerate about.

Other things that stand out to me are stellar friendship rep w/ secondary characters who feel unique from each other & are delightful together, so many funny lines, & two leads who really try to figure out how to deal with their pasts so they can be happy in their futures.

There are some heavy topics included in this one, including what I would call moments of very low self esteem (including repeated self-criticism at moments of perceived failure), a narcissistic, emotionally abusive parent (who is not present on page), & the previous death of parents—& my only quibble is that, from a romance reader perspective, I wanted to see more of their relationship after Sadie had started therapy again.

But this is a fantastic read & it gives me the warm & fuzzies of many varieties.

5 ⭐️. Release date: 02/01.

CWs: see review. Also a sexist boss at the beginning of the book.

4 stars.

I read the first chapter of this book and almost decided to read something else, but I'm very glad I stuck with it, because I did end up really enjoying it. The characters were a great mix of charming and driven, the atmosphere of the Brooklyn setting was on point, and the relationship between Jack and Sadie kept me engrossed from start to finish. I think it was a fairly unique novel for this genre and had some deeper aspects that will be able to make it more serious read for those who enjoy that. Contemporary readers who enjoy roommate romances, powerful female main characters, and strong friendships will definitely appreciate what Ballard has created here, just as I did.

I ultimately took a star off this review because I didn't like how easy everything felt? It's like Sadie would have an issue and deem it impossible and then the next chapter it would magically no longer be an issue. I think this was really present with the flower business she was running. I think the growth it had was simply unrealistic at times. I had no huge issues with the writing, although there were a few moments where I had to physically cringe.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. If you're interested, Lease on Love releases in less than a month on February 1st! This review will be posted to my Goodreads and BookBub, and most likely to Barnes and Noble upon publication.

3.5 I enjoyed this story. I really liked the plot, the friends and the love interest. I struggled a little with the conflict/ fight they end up having. It seemed so unnecessary to the story and felt like a big overreaction. However I loved the way it was handled after! I was really impressed.
Overall this was a fun but steamy read.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read a digital arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was super cute and the cover is absolutely adorable. I loved Sadie and Jack. There was a special sense of humor in this story that I really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. Their dynamics were one of my favorite parts, along with the slow burn and tension. So so good!! I wasn't a huge fan of the end, I wanted more out of their big reconciliation. I also thought it would've been great to get Jack's POV as well. But it was steamy and heart aching, a great first read of 2022.

A delightful, super sweet roommates-to-lovers romcom set in Brooklyn, NY.

Sadie Green is a hardworking, charming and self-deprecating woman who loses her crappy finance job—go nepotism and patriarchy, am I right?! She aptly celebrates funemployment by getting drunk, and then drunk right-swiping on what she thinks is a dating app. Instead of a first date, she turns up unprepared for a roommate interview with Jack Thomas, the withdrawn and mysterious landlord of a swanky Park Slope brownstone.

With the temptation of ridiculously cheap rent and second chance at pursuing her dream job as a florist, Sadie moves into Jack’s. They gradually form a friendship and over time, a mutual attraction inevitably grows between them. This was a slow burn but I definitely felt the flames of desire being fanned at appropriate times throughout the book.

Jack is an orphan after a tragic car accident killed both his parents and Sadie left her abusive family behind in California. Jack boosts Sadie’s self-confidence and helps her realize her ambitions. Sadie’s presence and sunny disposition eases Jack’s years of grief and loneliness. Together they become each other’s found family.

I also enjoyed all of the side characters—Nick, Harley and Gemma. Their witty back and forth with Sadie made me laugh out loud. They are so supportive of each other and easily accept Jack into their friend group.

Overall, a really heartwarming read and a great way to kick off 2022. Can I also talk about this book cover for a moment? It’s just beautiful!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have very mixed feeling about the end of the book. I felt a huge build up to a big reveal/conflict and it fell short. It just doesn’t make sense knowing Jacks backstory. Overall it was a decent Romcom. Overall it was an ok rom-com It was fun and energetic and a great appealing cast of characters.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book is such a sweet little swoony hug of a book. After missing out on a promotion, Sadie goes out with her BFFs, who are absolutely adorable and I love them so, and inadvertently swipes right on a roommate app not a dating app. Enter, Jack Thomas, nerdy gamer loner yet somehow swoony hero who has a beautiful brownstone that Sadie falls in love with and decides, why the heck not? Let’s move in together!

This book is a slow burn and tbh, slow burns do not usually do it for me. It’s so frustrating when two characters can be together but choose not to and the sexual tension makes me want to hurl my book into the sea, but that was not the case for this book. The pacing was quick, the plot moved along, the separation wasn’t so tense that I wanted to die, and the pining wasn’t horrifically painful over the top, and the wait was perfect. It was a PERFECT slow burn. Idk how the author managed to make it so fast paced without any action?! But she did it and it was amazing.

I loved all the side characters and the friendship. I also appreciated the vagueness about the mcs Instagram 🤣 It’s a major frustration to me when characters are like, “I started my IG two days ago and thanks to hashtags, I’m up to 4k followers.” …really? That’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever read. Her account was “blowing up,” but there were never numbers mentioned and I appreciated this so much! Accounts can still be successful and not have hundreds of thousands of followers.

…I know this is a random thing to comment on, but it’s a serious pet peeve of mine!

Such a great book!

This book was gifted to me by the publisher, review is my own

4.5/5 stars. I loved this book.
I will say the only thing I did not like were the nicknames sadie gave out.
Otherwise this was such a fun read. I read it so quickly and was sad when it was over. I also really enjoyed sadie as a main character. She is energetic, quick witted and has a temper. I also loved Jack who is shy, sweet and sensitive.
The group texts in this book were amazing.

An interesting Rom com, I pretty sure that not only have I not read this premise before I don’t think I even seen this premise as a movie. So it was nice to see something different. My main take away was alcohol and dating apps don’t mix but make for a great story.

This was a delight. I really liked Falon Ballard's style of writing in this novel and will definitely check out more. There was a lot of playful breaking of the fourth wall via the main character's inner monologue being laid out on the page. This is a roommates to friends to lovers romance featuring Sadie Green, who loses her job in the finance world after blowing up at her boss when he passes her over for a promotion in order to give the job to his future son-in-law. Sadie is a planner, with spreadsheets galore and a budget that has been banking on that promotion, so when she loses her job, she isn't sure what to do. Through a funny set of circumstances, she meets Jack, who is looking for a roommate to share the Park Slope brownstone that he owns for a laughably low rent. Sadie decides to take the leap and rent the room, while also taking a business leap and starting her own business as a florist. Sadie and Jack are the main characters, but there's a lot to be said for Sadie's friend group - Nick, Harley, and Gemma - all of whom are supporting each other through some major transitions. The resolution was a bit rushed, but that's a pretty common complaint from me about contemporary romance novels.

This was SO CUTE! And add a little bit of spice 🤌🏻

Sadie and Jack are everything. They literally are perfection. Sadie is an outspoken, fierce woman who mistakenly finds a new roommate named Jack. Jack is a quiet, nerdy guy who is the total opposite of Sadie. It is totally a slow-burn romance that pays off in the end and makes you super happy and giddy inside.

Sadie’s friends are also amazing. They complete this story with their own personalities and make you laugh out loud. This was my first romance book of 2022 and it did not disappoint at all!!! Absolutely in love.

I loved this book! Definitely un-put-downable! I liked the main character Sadie's personality and her friend group was so amazing. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Jack grow. This was a great book that I could relate to as a young professional trying to figure things out and having supportive friends to help.

This book was brilliant. It touched on so many spots that make falling in love a scary leap - grief, emotional abuse, feeling of inadequacy - and came out the other side with a heartfelt happy ending. The cast of characters was so well meshed. The backdrop of starting over as a florist in Brooklyn made me want to stroll the coffeehouse-laden street with our main characters. And the sweet banter throughout the bool was just effortless. This was the perfect story to begin my 2022 reading journey!

I really enjoyed this ARC read. The beginning was a little slow for me, but it was a good book to end the year 2021 on.

It’s about Sadie and Jack who become roommates, both dealing with their own struggles. Falling for each other while living together. I love that Jack joined Sadie’s group of friends like one big family.

It was so sweet to see them flirt and fall for each other and I enjoyed the build up. I enjoyed reading about their journey and their struggles and navigating their way through them.