HOA twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope

Amelia has HOA problems, and Kyle is right in the thick of it. I loved that their relationship began as a friendship, and pretty much stayed there while they each worked through their own anti-relationship issues. The slow burn was just perfect for these two.

I love when Amelia goes all mama bear for her kids. Her kids were charming, especially when they weren't trying to be. I appreciated that the author showed them as not-so-perfect children, which went a long way towards making Amelia more relatable as a mother.

Their HEA was delightful, and I was glad to see an equitable solution to the main point of contention. I enjoyed the humor even if the book reminded me of why I would never live in a home with an HOA. I really love this author's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

With Neighbors Like This by Tracy Goodwin
Contemporary romance. Present active tense.
Amelia moves into a new home with her children after her divorce. A garden gnome causes an issue with the bylaws but Amelia has the support of her neighbors, including the Association President.
Family and housing community issues plus a slow burn romance makes this drama pleasingly sweet. Chloe and Jacob have a fantastic sibling friendship while Amelia works hard at being a good mother. I loved the tickle romps.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

There’s no place like Gnome!

Amelia is a single mom of two who just moved into a new suburb community. She promised her kids that their gnome could be put in their new front yard to make it feel like home. The mean girl HOA representative is not having it, and her snide comments are overheard by Amelia. For Amelia though she’s not going down without a fight.

While Amelia plans on taking on the HOA, she wasn’t expecting the HOA president Kyle to be on her side.

Kyle has dating single moms before but he’s been burned. Falling for their kids only to be later dumped. He’s vowed to never do it again. There is something about Amelia and her kids though that he can’t seem to walk away.

I loved the sense of community in this story, as well as the normalcy of Amelia’s struggles trying to raise her kids and everything she juggled. The chaos, the random frog rescue, and a stray kitten that added to the mix. Above all fighting for what you believe is wrong, knowing when to step back, and finding a little bit of love along the way.

Amelia Marsh is a newly divorced mom raising two children, Jacob & Chloe. They recently moved into a new house in a subdivision with an HOA. Carla works for the management company that helps the HOA. The management company makes sure the house stay with in the bylaws. Carla is a mean girl and insults the gnome in Amelia's front yard. Which in turn starts a gnome war.

This was a fun Mom -romcom. The kids were fun. I loved Amelia's friends always having her back.

WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS -- Tracy Goodwin
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1-7282-28938
August 2, 2022
Contemporary Fiction

Castlerock, Texas – Present Day

Amelia Marsh and her two young children have recently moved into a housing development just north of Houston after her divorce. There is an HOA (Homeowners Association) with strict rules that Amelia must follow, but there is one thing she won’t do: give up displaying a garden gnome in her front yard. It is a memento dear to the hearts of her children and they would be devastated if it is removed. But Carla, the HOA’s strict compliance resident, demands that Amelia remove it. After a run-in with Carla at the Easter egg hunt, Amelia is ready to fight Carla. Though, the guy dressed up as the Easter Bunny distracts her somewhat.

Turns out the Easter Bunny is Amelia’s neighbor, Kyle Sanders, and he is also the HOA president. He is sympathetic to her complaints about Carla, but nothing can be done until there’s an HOA meeting, which won’t be for a few weeks. Meanwhile, Carla is continuing her harassment of Amelia, while Amelia gathers her ammunition to fight back. Kyle turns out to be a good friend to Amelia and her children. Will their friendship lead to something more? Will Amelia win her battle against Carla?

WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS is a quirky tale about a woman who takes on her homeowner’s association in a battle of wills. Along the way, she meets a sexy man who starts out as a good friend, but it begins to feel like there could be something more between them. Amelia will do anything for her children, including putting out the garden gnome that is a part of their former life at their old home. A divorce necessitated the move to Castlerock, so things are new for the family anyway. The kids are already suffering from a lack of a father in their lives because her ex has literally moved on. Amelia is that Mama Bear these children need.

While some might call WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS a romance, it’s mostly a women’s fiction type read as it’s about the journey of Amelia. Kyle just happens to be the man who comes into her life. He’s helpful and good with the children, while she tries to maintain her independence and not get romantically involved with him. He respects her boundaries, yet he’s seemingly there whenever she needs help. Also part of this tale is Amelia’s two best friends, both single mothers, by the names of Bridget and Lily, both of whom provide guidance and good laughter. They also provide plenty of support in Amelia’s battle against Carla and the HOA.

If you’re looking for a book that is a bit different, then WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS will fill your requirement. Amelia is determined to win in her battle with Carla and she is someone that readers will be rooting for as they chuckle at the goings on in this tale. Don’t miss the fun in WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS.

Patti Fischer

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
With Neighbors Like This is a fun, fairly light read. While I’ve never lived on my own and never had to deal with a homeowners association, I have heard horror stories and Goodwin provided enough context to make the setup intriguing and comedic.
Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It’s hard not to feel for a recently divorced single mom trying to do her best to keep everything together, and Goodwin perfectly captures that dynamic. Her kids are also quite sweet and add a lot to the story as she has to navigate the issues that arise in relation to them.
But I really didn’t feel like there was much conflict with the HOA president, Kyle. He’s generally well-intentioned, and it’s more an issue of the institution being against her than him personally. He even tries to help her get around them.
As a result, I had mixed feelings about the romance. I love a sweet, patient guy who’s willing to help an emotionally wounded woman unconditionally. But without real stakes, I didn’t feel like there was much reason to care for them as a couple.
While I didn’t fall in love with this one, I found it a pretty enjoyable read for the most part. If you enjoy slower burn contemporary romances, especially with divorced heroines, you might enjoy this one.

I found this a slow read and my focus sometimes wandered. For those reading for the romance, be warned: the burn was so slow it was almost nonexistent. At least Amelia had a solid support system in the form of her friends.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "With Neighbors Like This" by Tracy Goodwin, slated to release on August 2nd, 2022.

Amelia Marsh is trying to make a better life for her & her two children, Jacob and Chloe. She and her ex-husband, Daniel have recently split up and he seems to have no desire to get in touch with his children whatsoever. She even has to go so far as to calling his new wife just to try and get him to talk to them. She is also battling with a woman named Carla, who does not approve of the gnome that she has put out on her front lawn (that her children have painted for her) When Amelia won't comply with bylaws, she goes on to find other things she doesn't like about her, and even goes so far as to trespass on her property.

Amelia meets Kyle, but is always sure to put her children first, even though they both want their mother to date him. They realize that he's the complete opposite of their father and don't have an issue with it. Amelia, on the other hand, is a little more reluctant about it.

The only issue that I really had with this novel is the way in which Jacob and Chloe were written. They are supposed to be 10 and 8, but their voices are written much younger, in my opinion.

Overall, I rated this novel a 3/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this read. The cover is very attractive and beguiling. Amelia moves to a new neighborhood with her kids after a bitter divorce. It’s been an adjustment since her rat fink ex has basically dumped the kids. The new neighborhood also comes with a Naggy nark whom Amelia is determined to get the better. Kyle, the resident hunk, is definitely interested.
I liked how fierce Amelia was, but sometimes she did go overboard.
I liked all the Star Wars references too.

DNF

I really struggled with the present tense, 3rd person writing. Eg Amelia is ... she does ...

Could not get into the book at all

Amelia vs. the unfair HOA!

Amelia Marsh has moved to Houston to make a new start after her divorce with her two children to the Castle Rock subdivision of Timberland near Houston to be closer to her best friends and away from her jerk of an ex-husband. The only thing her children want at her new house is to place the garden gnome that they decorated in the front yard but that isn’t allowed according to the HOA rules and HOA manager Carla.

Amelia already met Carla when the Jacob and Chloe met the Easter Bunny and she would do anything for her children even take on the HOA. It’s Gnomegate!

If you have ever lived with a HOA you will totally understand With Neighbors Like This and picking your battles but I laughed how Kyle Sanders supports Amelia quietly even though he’s the HOA president.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really wanted to enjoy this book as the premise sounded fun, but I wanted to DNF at several stops along the way. I kept with it hoping the writing would improve or the story would engage me as a reader, but sadly I was disappointed. I felt particularly annoyed by the main character's ex-husband and the HOA (not only the community manager but also the plans to rebel against the rules).
The redeeming factors were Amelia's parenting style for her children and Kyle's overall good-ness for the community and Amelia (and her kids).
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Amelia, a newly divorced mother of two, settles in at the Castle Rock community in suburban Houston, all she wants is a fresh start for her and her kids. However, she finds herself immediately on the bad side of a particular woman, Carla, who takes her management job at Castle Rock a little too seriously. It's all because Amelia promised her kids their gnome could be in their new front yard, however Carla isn't having it. Carla tells Amelia that it violates the community bylaws, which only brings out Amelia's mama-bear attitude. Enter a new friend, Kyle, who happens to be the President of the HOA board. Will Amelia push it too far? Will she make herself the villain of the neighborhood?

What a sweet, wholesome and refreshing story this was. I loved how real the depiction of the mother-kid relationships felt. I was immediately on Amelia's side as it was obvious what a loving, supportive and fun mom she was for her kids. She didn't shy away from anything and she was always there for her kids whenever there was a conflict. Her friendship with Kyle was a lot of fun to see develop as well. The "will-they-won't-they" energy was on point. I loved the chemistry...I respected the angle of how Amelia was putting her kids first, even before herself as well, and the journey to understanding that sometimes its ok to do what's right for herself too. I really enjoyed how the conflict was handled, how it was talked through and didn't really "blow up" like so many other rom-coms. I would highly recommend this - unless you absolutely need some "spice" in your rom-coms. Past sparkling chemistry there isn't much to comment on in that department, but it definitely did not hurt the story or story-telling.

Grr. Amelia has moved to Houston with her kids and the garden gnome they painted of her and Carla the meanie of the neighborhood is determined to get rid of it. Oh the HOA! Anyone who has lived with an HOA will appreciate the humor (and pathos) of dealing with one. Luckily, Kyle, the President of the HOA, is a good guy who is willing to dress up like the Easter Bunny and listen to Amelia. This is a very slow burn to lovers novel that is light as air. Kyle and Amelia are both paragons but that's ok. You can guess how this will go but that's ok too. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Made a good read on a really hot afternoon.

I'm giving this 3.5 stars because I enjoyed the story, but I'm definitely rating it as Women's Fiction. The romance aspect moved much to slow for me and needed a more exciting result.
Amelia is divorced and has moved to a new town with her 8 and 10 year old kids. The book immediately opens to the start of her conflict with the HOA over a gnome in her front yard, and the conflict escalates from there. Complicating matters is that the single, attractive, and available HOA president, Kyle, ends up on her side.
Kyle and Amelia seek each other out and end up helping each other (him more than her) but they keep talking themselves out of pursuing a relationship. Very slow burn and clean.
The book focuses more on Amelia's growth and how she navigates her new situation. Lots of good scenes with her kids and her best friends, and great scenes with Kyle as they get to know each other.
The book was enjoyable but I didn't feel it checked the boxes to be a romance.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A newly divorced Mom of two, Amelia Marsh moves into a suburb of Houston. So when she and her children set up a gnome themed garden, one of the representatives of HOA clashed with Amelia demanding her to remove the gnomes and Amelia tried to fight back. Then Amelia meets the handsome Kyle who is the president of the HOA and soon they become from enemies, to friends to eventually lovers...

This to me was an OK--not too boring but nonethless enjoyable to read. There were some parts that were interesting and I like reading how the friendship between Kyle and Amelia grew throughout this book. I do like how Kyle acted more like a father figure to Amelia's children than their own father who literally ignored them and wanted nothing to do with them. Overall, even though I knew what the whole story was going to be like, I actually enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to read more books from this author.

If you are looking for a funny contemporary fiction like this one, then this book is the one for you--worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

With Neighbors Like This follows Amelia Marsh, a single mom of two kids, as she takes on the HOA. This battle kicks off an unexpected friendship with the HOA President, Kyle Sanders.

I really enjoyed the friendships pictured in this book. Amelia has some amazing single mom friends who all support each other which I love to see! It did seem as though one played a much bigger role than the other, however throughout the story, which lead me to almost completely forget the other existed at times.

The external plot was also very interesting and I loved the way the author weaved it in with everything else that Amelia had going on. It definitely added to the story and moved it along.

I’ll also add that I loved all the Marvel references throughout the book! As a big Marvel fan that was fun to see.

It definitely was a slow burn that felt very dragged out in my opinion. It was a lot of “will they, won’t they” with little payoff in the end. I also felt that some of the characters’ actions didn’t match the thoughts they had.

Overall I would say this is a great read for those looking for a contemporary romance with a slow burn, some sass, and a fun external plot in a suburban setting!

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Usually slow burn romances bore me but the characters kept me so engaged in their stories that I couldn't put this book down. The characters were relatable, the story funny and I read it in one sitting. This was a fun read.

Before I write my review, I want to say, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!I loved this book. This slow burn novel is my first from Tracy Goodwin for me. It's a fun read that isn't too serious and is full of funny moments. Don’t hesitate to grab this book immediately, ya!

I really really really enjoyed this one. As I live in an HOA with people who run it that I don't particularly agree with I can relate to the Carla vs Amelia drama. This story is about a mother's love and the weight she feels on her shoulders always to do what is best for her children. I continually kept thinking that Amelia was too hard on herself, but also thinking she was an amazing mom and I could only hope to have a relationship with my children like she has with hers. Amelia does have trust issues though after dealing with her ex-husband Daniel and by the end of the book she does get therapy for her and her children which I really liked because this situation can be traumatic for all involved. Kyle was a sweet and loving man and really showed that he could be a friend and more for Amelia. I am not against clean romance, but I really wish they hadn't kissed on the last page. I almost with this had just been about Amelia and the romance as just alluded to at the end. The dialogue was a little choppy sometimes but still enjoyable.