I was a little hesitant about Lease on Love because I was so disappointed by one of the comps, The Flatshare, but Ballard managed to give me the kind of novel that I wanted The Flatshare to be, and this rom-com debut is undeniably adorable! I physically had to force myself to put it down, rather than stay up all night to finish it in one go. Sadie is exactly the kind of heroine you just have to root for, and watching her grow her business (excuse the pun) was a treat. The sexual tension and build-up with Jack was *chef kisses* too. Plus, Sadie's friend group and the text exchanges were the best kind of quippy and who doesn't love found families?

*Spoilers Ahead*
While I loved so much about this novel, I am knocking off a star because I found the argument between Sadie and Jack towards the end (because every rom-com has to bring the lovers together and then pull them apart for some reason to finally allow them to live happily ever after) to be...well...kind of ridiculous. It really seemed like Sadie was making a big deal out of nothing and (as someone diagnosed with PTSD) I know that trauma can react to things in unexpected ways, but it didn't quite ring true for me.

I'm still going to recommend this one to all my rom-com lovers though because I seriously loved the premise and every single character, especially Sadie.

A delightful debut! I read Lease on Love in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. The set-up is a millennial spin on a classic rom-com: Sadie gets fired from her job and for ~romance reasons~ winds up moving in with Jack. Jack becomes her new roommate and his house seems almost too good to be true. But this is New York City, Sadie isn’t going to turn down cheap rent in a stunning brownstone! Jack and Sadie's relationship builds from there. This book is just as much about Sadie’s growth and belief in herself and her burgeoning flower business as it is about the relationship. If you enjoy flowers, beautiful real estate, a well-developed friend group, an elusive but lovable hero, and a slooooww burn, this is the book for you! Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Jasmine Guillory, and Beth O’Leary.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Steam: 2/5 stars
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Grumpy (Him)/Sunshine (Her), And They Were Roommates
Tags: slow burn, mental health rep, women's fiction
CW: Frequent alcohol use, grief, parental death, abuse

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

With Lease on Love by Falon Ballard, we are treated to a slow burn with a number of well-developed characters. Though the conclusion fell short, this was still an enjoyable read.

slow burn, but definitely worth the wait. i liked it, but i do have barbs with sadie — i thought she was pretty hypocritical, especially with the reveal towards the end. that being said, i can see why she reacted the way she did, it just hurt to see.

#netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy.

This was an enjoyable book. The two main characters were written beautifully. You could see how their relationship changed throughout the story. At times this story was a little slow, and it felt like a drag just to get through it. I enjoyed the premise of the book, roommates hating each other to falling for each other. If you are in the mood for a slow-burn romance this is for you.

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard had more swear words than I was happy to read, and I ended up DNFing the book rather early on. Most books have swear words and it's easy to look past them, but this one has more than I'm used to. It's too bad, as the story sounds like just my thing!

This was a cute story about a financial analyst who finds a second career as a florist. Sadie feels like she has the worst luck when she is fired, but things start looking up when she happens to find a man looking for a roommate for really cheap rent. After she moves in with Jack, she begins a new floral business that she has wanting to open for a really long time.

This story was sweet and I really liked the ensemble of characters in this one. They are a found family and they are all crazy and fun. Jack was a loner and was lost in his life and crazy and obnoxious Sadie helped breathe life back into him. This book felt a little more like women's fiction to me with a couple explicit sex scenes. It focused more on Sadie's journey in finding her success with some added romance.

Her story in finding success went a little too smoothly for my taste and the conflict towards the end was not really conflict-worthy in my opinion. But I think people will enjoy this book if they're looking for a fast and easy feel-good read.

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: grief, abuse

Thank you NetGalley for proving me with a copy of this ARC.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded so cute. However, I DNF around the 30% mark. I couldn’t connect with Sadie. At times I found her a bit annoying. And honestly, all the F bombs were a bit too much. Don’t get me wrong. I curse all the time, but I felt there was an F bomb in every sentence! It was a bit of a turn off.

Im sure others will love this book, unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed read his book, a delightful read indeed.

Lease on Love was entertaining with some meaty plot points thrown in. Sadie lost her job in finance and she must move out of her pricey apartment. She finds a roommate wanted ad and applies. She meets Jack, a lonely, shy, sad man who needs a roommate for company. He owns a large Brownstown in New York City and the rent is ridiculously cheap. Sadie moves in, decides to tackle a career change to follow her dream of becoming a florist. They both have lots of issues, Sadie with low self-esteem after being verbally abused by her father growing up and Jack with coming to terms with his parents' deaths in a car accident many years earlier. I found that the plot was quite slow developing and I think the story would have moved better without so much repetitive angst. I enjoyed Sadie's efforts to start her business and her interactions with her friends. I found this to be a slow but enjoyable read.

I have been searching for a found families romance book that made me feel all the warm and fuzzies and this book accomplished that ten-fold. I LOVED this book. It took me only a few hours to finish because there was just no good stopping point. The friend group really made this book for me. I loved all their interactions and this is the first book where I actually enjoyed the texting. Jack and Sadie were great characters with their own struggles and I enjoyed reading the growth throughout the book. This being the authors debut is surprising. I can't wait to see what else she puts out.

4.5 stars for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Sadie Green needs to start over. She mixes up a dating app with a roommate finding app, and I honestly thought that would be a bigger scene, and wow Jack was quick to accept her lol but I liked their dynamic.
Sadie's friends were great, I felt like everyone was pretty well rounded. We were on a slow-burn & slow-learn with Jack. I love the ways that Sadie helped him live again.
The majority of the book is Sadie trying to launch her floral business, and there are fun nods to Beauty and the Beast. Jack is very accommodating and she calls him perfect many times. I'm not sure if such a guy exists, but I didn't mind reading about one.
Lease on Love is a cute, funny, and quick read.

After working hard for 6 years Sadie Green is excited to receive what she thinks will be a promotion. Instead she finds herself near breaking point; in need of drink, a one night stand, a place to live, and a new job. After a drunken night out Sadie swipes right for what she thinks is a date only to discover she made a room mate match instead. She finds herself moving into a beautiful brownstone in Brooklyn with Jack Thomas, a peculiar man who is quiet about his past. As Jack and Sadie begin to open up to each other more about their traumatizing pasts will they both be able to overcome their anxieties?

I loved Sadie’s inner monologue! It was hilarious from her frank way of describing things, to her insecurities. Being able to see into Sadie’s head really helped me relate to her and come to understand the challenges and doubts she faces as she starts her own business (yes she is a badass business woman) and contemplates her relationship with Jack. Jack himself was a refreshing character! Maybe I have been reading too many grump/sunshine pairings lately, but it was a nice change to see a man be kind and supportive to the heroine instead of constantly making sarcastic borderline mean remarks to the heroine. He was so supportive of Sadie as she was getting her business started and even gave her space when she needed, always gently reminding her that he was there for her when she was ready. This was the perfect slow burn romance with a satisfying ending.

I enjoyed this novel immensely. If you are looking for a contemporary romance with some humor and also a want a balanced pairing with a healthy dose of banter, Lease on Love won’t disappoint

I would like to thank Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for the free E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

what happens when you mix up a dating app with a roommate finder app? you get this hilarious & heartwarming book 🌻 lease on love by Falon Ballard comes out on feb. 1st!

put this one on your radar if you like:
-friends who are like family
-roommates to lovers
-all things flowers
-beyond adorable/cheesy pet names (jackpot & sweet pea - iykyk)
-hilarious group texts throughout the book (these are always my fav)
-mental health advocacy

a huge thanks to NetGalley, Falon Ballard & Penguin Randomhouse for the arc of this one - I thoroughly enjoyed it 💛

This one really wasn't for me, but I did read it very quickly and enjoyed the love story and the setting. I wish more Brooklyn-based romance novels would branch out into other neighborhoods. It's such a large borough, yet I usually see love stories set in Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights/Dumbo. I guess Park Slope is the fairytale setting though. It means the character is wealthy and I, too, cannot resist a brownstone. There was, however, a strange switch where I couldn't stand the MC or her friends at the beginning of the book, but cared about them later on. The MC really did behave irresponsibly at the jump, and I was frustrated when she seemed to self-sabotage very quickly towards the end. Although, I would describe this as a Brooklyn fairytale. Who doesn't want to quit their job, follow their passion, and live cheaply in a beautiful brownstone with a hot introvert? That's my dream. I loved reading that wish fulfillment.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

Lease on Love was a complete surprise for me. I always keep my expectations in check when a book is advertised as being like Beach Read, but this one completely exceeded those expectations. Right from the first page, I was in love with Sadie, the storyline, and just the entire aesthetic of this book. Definitely a top read for 2022.

Lease on Love tells the story of Sadie, a down-on-her-luck aspiring florist, and Jack, a grief-stricken man looking for a new roommate. When Sadie gets fired from her soul-sucking finance job, she is desperate for a new apartment and finds herself actually catching a break. Jack offers her a room in his gorgeous brownstone for barely any rent. As the two slowly get to know one another, they realize they may be more than roommates.

This is slow-burn romance done right. The “slow burn” never impacts the pacing and it nails the payoff. I absolutely loved Sadie and Jack and their whole gang of friends. I wanted to live in Park Slope with them. The entire vibe of this book is cozy and sweet and fun. The dialogue is excellent. The romance is excellent. The character development is excellent. IT IS ALL EXCELLENT. All the stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted closer to release date.

This was a charming story, heartwarming with a cute romance.

Sadie and Jack are roommates, Sadie after being fired from her job,
needs a new place to live and by mistake, being drunk she sends a message to Jack through a roommate app, thinking it is a dating app. Sadie thinks that she has the strangest date ever when Jack tells her about the house, after solving the misunderstanding, she cannot deny moving in with him, he practically offers her a mansion (by NY standards) in exchange for almost nothing.

At last, Sadie will be able to develop her own flower business, it was lovely to read about Sadie's love for her plants and how her business is growing. She has the best friends, they are always there to support her.

I love the friendship dynamic, they are a fun group (the chat is hilarious) and very supportive.

The Romance:
Is a little Grumpy and sunshine trope, Sadie is all sunshine but Jack is more introverted, not exactly grumpy, and has some issues from his past that now he is trying to get over.

Also is a friend to lovers.

Soon both of them form a routine, both feel attraction towards the other but it is a very slow burn, at first they do not spend much time together (even if they wanted to), they have chemistry but the insecurities of both do not allow them to move forward, little by little they spend more time together, they talk and become friends. It was sweet.

The Characters.
I loved Jack, I wish he had his own POV, he is shy, kind, and patient, and wanted to know what was on his mind.

I said it above, but I loved the group of friends, always listening and applauding your achievement,

And Sadie, I love her passion for flowers and her small business, it's nice to see someone succeed.

Overall, it is a cute debut, funny characters, sweet romance

I really wanted to love this but unfortunately, it was a DNF at 15%.

I like the premise, camaraderie in the friends group, and the little I've read of the MMC, Jack, so far. I couldn't stand the crass, immature FMC who constantly drops f-bombs like it's the only thing keeping her alive and I couldn't root for her or like her from the start. The writing style isn't for me - it's a tad emotionally juvenile and off-putting at times - and it ultimately was the reason why I moved on.

It's just not for me, currently. I might try it again later on, but for now it's a hard pass for me.

I love a slow burn love story and this one is now at the top of my favorites! And it's not just a love story. It has amazing friendships, plot, and life lessons that spoke to me in a personal level. It's by far, one of the best debuts I've read.

Just rushed through this because there was never a good stopping point! The characters are all pretty relatable and the friend group is #squadgoals. I especially loved that there was a variety of characters, but never preachy or in a “look at how I include everyone!” kind of way. There was solid growth among the characters and the descriptions of the properties? Real estate porn!