A cute book. This one did not wow me but it was charming.

Amelia is a divorced mother of two young children. She's a very likeable character. She moves into a new neighbourhood in Houston, Texas with her kids. She sets up some garden gnomes in her front yard. The Homeowners Association representative, Carla informs Amalia that these gnomes go against the rules for the neighbourhood. Are you kidding me? Amalia can't believe that her childrens beloved gnomes are such a problem. She meets Kyle Sanders, the HOA President who really is on her side but his hands are tied. The rules are the rules. Now Amalia is set for a fight to overturn the rules and keep her kids life as happy and balanced as could be.

The writing is good and it's a fun, light-hearted type of story with some added heavy issues. I really think I would have enjoyed this one more had I straight read it instead of listened to it. I did not really enjoy the narration at all. She spoke in an over-the-top and robotic way. Almost like the cozy mystery narrators. There was a sort of Hallmark movie cheesiness to it so perhaps it was intended.

I would recommend this book but I'd pass on the audio this time.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for granting me access to the Advance Listener Copy.

I tried my best to get in to this book however the narrator for this book on the audio version wasn’t helping to keep my interest with it and I would enjoy this book I just couldn’t get past it. I will however get a copy and read it and rewrite my review accordingly.

Tracy Goodwin's With Neighbors Like This is an entertaining rom-com set amidst a suburban community with tons of colorful characters. Here we are introduced to Amelia Marsh, a newly divorced mom of two, who inadvertently starts a battle with the property management representative, Carla, over a forbidden garden gnome in her front yard. Through this we also see Amelia's personal struggles with coping with her divorce and her children's absentee father. While all of this occurs, Amelia befriends the HOA president, Kyle, and they start to fall for each other against both of their stipulations that they would not in Amelia's case put her children in another vulnerable position and in Kyle's case not put himself in a position to get attached to the person he's dating's children. Despite it all, Kyle and Amelia decide to give each other a chance and Amelia has Carla removed from her position as property manager representative for abusive of power. Overall, this was a quirky, lovable listen and the narrator does an excellent job bringing through the humor and sarcasm written into the story.

This book was an enjoyable read for a lot of reasons. I loved that it was set in Texas, and that it seemed to be a riff on The Woodlands, Texas, which is near where I lived.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Game of Gnomes", and how Amelia handled Carla and her rudeness.

I also loved Amelia's group of friends, and how they supported each other so thoroughly when her husband just abandoned them all.

And lastly, I obviously love Kyle and Amelia. Their tension was great, and as a couple, they really have so much potential. But I also just loved their friendship and mutual respect towards each other.

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, heartwarming, and relatable.

Amelia is a divorced mom of two who has relocated to a Houston suburb. While attending the neighborhood Easter celebration, she encounters the "enforcer from hell" hired by the HOA to monitor homeowners' compliance with the regulations. Horrors! Amelia has placed a garden gnome (a gift from her children) in her front yard! The enforcer lets her have it in front of a bunch of neighbors. Amelia makes it her mission to defend her gnome and put this woman in her place. She also gets the attention of the HOA president, a single contractor who happens to be playing the Easter bunny.
Well, you can guess how the plot progresses, but it's enjoyable to listen to the progression of their relationship and Amelia's efforts to show her independence. This was a great diversion from the stresses of everyday life and a good romance. Would make a great movie!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

3.25⭐
Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV (ugh!), single mom, cheating ex-husband, absentee father
NOT enemies to lovers as it states in the blurb ~ not sure why it says that at all, did I take a snooze while I was reading?

Oh the joys of living in a community with a HOA.

Amelia is trying to start over with her 2 children after her divorce. She moves into a neighborhood and right off the bat she has an enemy in Carla, (they don't get together so that's not the enemy part). Carla has a problem with the gnome in their front yard ~ the gnome that she promised her kids she'd display as a way to ease into their new life. Now Amelia has a fight on her hands ~ can she convince the HOA to change the by-laws?

HOA president, Kyle, is easy on the eyes and trying to keep the peace in the hood. He was never interested in being around children, but can't help but befriend Amelia, Jacob and Chloe. An attraction is there, but can they make this work?

Overall, I wasn't wowed, but I did like that Amelia was such a great mom. There were some really heartfelt moments between them and she said all the right things.
I didn't really care for any of the characters, Amelia's friends and her next door neighbor were okay, but Carla was just awful.

I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.

Narrated by Eva Wilhelm for 8 hours and 34 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. I was not overly in love with her narration, she sounded robotic at times. I really wish there was a male narrator.

I loved the narrator it was so easy to follow her the plot it was average but it was fun book just didnt really stand out to be but i cant wait to read more from this author

With Neighbors Like This
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 9/22/22
Author: Tracy Goodwin
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Narrator: Eva Wihelm
Goodreads Rating: 3.47

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: When divorced mom of two Amelia Marsh relocates to a northern suburb of Houston, all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. When a disagreement between Amelia and the HOA representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community...

My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Amelia, with other chirping in, from their perspectives. This audiobook did not have great reviews but I loved the premise, single mom standing up for what she believes in, to show her kids the right thing to do. This classic enemies to lovers trope was sweet and heartwarming. Single mother of two + enemies to lovers + taking on the HOA + community of support = a heartwarming novel. This was a very quick listen, I listened on 2x, it did not sacrifice the quality, and I got through it in just a few days. The narrator really gave life to the characters, made me feel I was with Amelia fighting the HOA together! The characters were well developed, with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and well written. Amelia extremely likable; Kyle extremely likable; who doesn’t love kids; however, Roger, I absolutely despised. The author’s writing style was complex, emotional, endearing, and intriguing. I highly recommend this audiobook that is being released later this month, the book is already out, but I believe the audiobook is better.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* cute and funny read, a bit too much of a romance but not a bad read

I dnf’d at 75%. I tried. I just couldn’t get into it in any way.

The constant pop culture references, repetitive statements over and over and over again. The book had so much unnecessary descriptions and should have been so much shorter. The awkward conversations between Amelia and her friends/kids/Kyle were all just so unbelievable. It was cringeworthy and I wished it would stop but it never did.

The story droned on and on and never seemed to truly have a solid plot line. Yes, Amelia was fighting with Carla, the villain with the HOA claims, but it kept building and building without any relief or real “vengeance.” At least at 75% in there was nothing being done about Carla. And the romance between Amelia and Kyle was just flirting and slow banter. Just didn’t seem like the relationship was ever going to develop.

The narration was odd as well. The narrator, I felt, often left too long of pauses which caused the flow of the story to be off. The tone was often flat and when you sped up the audio it tended to sound chopping and not make complete sentences. Maybe that will be fixed in a final version but it was difficult to stand.

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun story! A fierce mama advocating for her kids will ALWAYS win my heart! I sure love a lil comeuppance, too! I did not like the narrator's voice - just personal preference. The way the author wrote such a beautiful character in Amelia and the narrator's was a bit holier-than-though.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: fiction, romance
CW/TW: deadbeat dad, bullying

One word in this blurb stood out and sold me on this book: gnome. Amelia decides that she won’t be a pushover when an HOA rep gives her grief about a garden gnome that’s placed in her front yard. This sweet gift from her children is considered an eye sore and a violation of HOA rules. As a newly divorced mother who recently moved with her kids, she promised them that the gnome would be placed there. Between that and her ex husband’s awfulness, Amelia refuses to give up this little thing that makes her kids happy.

Sparks fly when she meets Kyle, one of the neighborhood’s residents. But he's the "enemy" because he’s also the president of the HOA. It’s really an excuse. Amelia won't date because her priority is stability for her kids and she doesn't trust men. Kyle's sworn off dating women with kids because he gets close and then the relationship inevitably runs its course. He’d rather avoid the heartache. But the truth is they get along really well; her kids are adorable and Kyle's a great guy. Amelia's a fierce mama bear and friend, and as time wears on, the sparks between them can't be ignored. There’s also Gnomegate.

I freaking adored this story devouring it as quickly as I could! Amelia’s struggle as a single mom to provide for her kids and make up for her ex’s lack of humanity broke my heart. All the characters were fantastic, and the epic showdown between Amelia and her HOA nemesis was perfect.

It's honestly one of the most heartwarming and humorous stories. The narrator was excellent, too. Read this for a feel-good story about family, community banding together, and new beginnings. And gnomes.

Thanks to @SourcebooksCasa and @NetGalley for the audio arc.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Dreamscape Media.

Amelia Marsh relocates with her two young kids to a northern suburb of Houston after a brutal divorce, and all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. The last thing she needs is to be the center of community gossip. But when a disagreement between Amelia and the Homeowners Association (HOA) representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community.

Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It shows a really human aspect of a messy situation, and Amelia is doing a great job being a mom & trying to raise her kids in a positive manner, while keeping everything together. 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. This book was also very well written, was easy to read, and was cute.
While I didn’t really care for the romance, I did love the small-town vibes. The community was great. Everyone was a little too perfect for me but I like the cheesiness. This was the perfect book for something quick and light after reading so many heavy books.

Rating: 3.5/5

Oh my goodness! I don't have gnomes but I do have gargoyles and at least I don't had an HOA but my neighbors loved when my gargoyles moved into my front yard, one as a bird bath and the other on my front porch (they have to protect the place). Amelia has just moved her two kids to a new neighborhood after her divorce from her deadbeat husband and the only thing her kids wanted was their little gnome they made and gave her for Mother's day to be in their yard but when the HOA witch comes knocking letting her know it is against the rules this means war. When they meet the Easter Bunny and he turns out to by the HOA president, all bets are off, especially when he looks better out of his ears. This one was just pure fun. Add in the spunky and sassy friends and Amelia and Kyle are goners for sure.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook. I am voluntarily reviewing this audiobook. I liked this audiobook. I found Carla a typical neighborhood snitch. Every HOA has one or two or three. I liked the cast of characters Amelia and her children. I liked the story-that Amelia worried more about her children than herself. I liked Kyle. Interesting story and has endless possibilities. You have to fight for what you want and believe in. 3.5 stars

As a momma bear i absolutely the main character in this book. She was strong and funny. Felt like it was lacking self discovering for the mom, but overall was a fun read.

I adored Amelia Marsh, the main character of this book. Amelia has relocated herself and her two kids after a messy divorce and wants to settle into her new life, but she immediately clashes with HOA rules, and an awful woman who works overtime to make sure the rules are followed. She gets into a gnome war, because her little garden gnome that her kids made her violates some of the rules. Amelia is a funny, smart and creative woman who enters into "gnome-gate" in order to stand up for a promise she made to her kids (that the gnome would live in the front yard, as it did in her old home.) The HOA president, Karl, also steps in to tell her that unfortunately, she has to abide by the rules, and while he wants to do his job to its fullest, he is also a nice guy, and can see the flaws in those rules, but cannot change them until all the houses in the neighborhood are sold. What starts out as a stand-off about the gnome, turns into a friendship that could be more, if only Amelia was okay with getting into another relationship after her husband failed her and her children.

This book has excellent banter between characters. The witty repartee always made me smile and occasionally laugh out loud. I was not wowed by the narrator, which initially made me think I was not going to be able to listen to the book in its entirety. However, I was so quickly wrapped up in these characters, that I eventually ignored what I did not like and focused on what I did -- the wonderful story that Tracy Goodwin created, with characters I really want to have in my own life!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was an very sweet novel. Amelia is a single mother who has recently bought a new home in a Texas subdivision with an HOA. During her first community gathering at Easter the management team from the HOA insults and belittles Amelia's children. Amelia and her children also meet the man playing the Easter bunny, Kyle, and sparks fly. As the weeks go by the chemistry between the two is palpable. Kyle has vowed to never date a single mother again, but he can't seem to stay away from this family. Amelia is determined to put her kids first, since their father has abandoned them to a new family. During this time the horrible woman from the HOA management team continues to target Amelia and her beloved lawn gnome. Amelia, thorough to a fault sets out to not only fight for her gnome, but to remove the manager as well. Hijinks and the pursuit of friendship and possibly love abound in the story I will go forward in calling Game of Gnomes! This was a really refreshing book. It was sweet, but in the best way possible. The banter, the relationships, the message, it was a very nice quick read.

This book was good but not for me. I just couldn’t relate to any of the characters and the story line kept on losing me. I think it is an enjoyable story just for someone else than me!

I could not finish this audiobook because of the narrator. Her inflection/tone was way too over the top and exaggerated. I think I’d like the book if it was a different narrator or if I read it myself.