Lily dreams of being a children's book editor and working on books like her favorite novel, Elves of Ceradon, but is struggling to leave her job and her toxic boss. She is shocked to find a website for the elusive author of Elves of Ceradon, and accidentally sends him an email, which leads to a year long correspondence. However, Strick, the author, eventually ghosts her. Later, Lily starts falling for her handsome neighbor, Nick, who happens to be the author she was messaging. Will their relationship survive him telling her the truth? Will it survive in spite of the difficulties both Lily and Nick have faced in their past?

The Neighbor Favor is a warm, thoughtful portrayal of two people learning to trust in themselves enough to pursue a relationship together. Forest treats Lily and Nick with respect and compassionately shows how difficult it can be to pursue a relationship when also dealing with family trauma. This book will appeal to readers of bookish romances and those who value communication in their romance novels.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Neighbor Favor was such a sweet, heartwarming romance! This is THE book for all book lovers. Our MCs, Lily and Nick, are a book editor and fantasy author, respectively, and two book lovers themselves. The various references to their favorite books or books in general that shaped their reading journey were really fun to hear. And the romance was adorable! I think readers who love a quiet, bookish romance will love how tender the romance is between Lily and Nick.

I also really liked the moments where Lily and Nick spend time with their families and how they each dealt with the trauma that their families inflicted (sometimes unknowingly) on them. The exploration and juxtaposition of class, familial expectations, and family dynamics between Lily and Nick's family was interesting to follow. It definitely added a layer of depth to the romance that I loved.

Of course, the You've Got Mail trope always hits, and I loved how this novel started off with the emails that Lily and Nick exchanged with each other. I think having this serve as the basis of their conflict in the third-act breakup made the third-act breakup seem a little unnecessary, especially since Lily forgives Nick pretty quickly after they separate.

Overall, I think this was a very adorable romance (I'd give it 4 stars), and I'm tempted to go read Kristina Forest's YA romances now! I was also super excited to see the hints of Violet's and (even potentially Iris's) story next and I was very pleased that I guessed who Violet's love interest will be in Book 2 correctly.

I really enjoyed this! The two main characters were interesting & I particularly enjoyed their email correspondence And, when I *thought* the 'hidden identity' thing was going to go on too long, luckily it didn't.

It was really strong right off the bat - I loved how Lily had this obscure book she loved & that triggered her long-running correspondence with the mysterious author. Her career struggles and family dynamics were interesting side notes also, & it looks like (hopefully) Forest is gearing up to write a series, with books about each of the sisters....

There were a few odd moments or slow-downs in the momentum in the middle (The whole Tomcat visit to the vet and particularly Nick's really odd late-night shopping spree of honestly odd stuff (a stool? and stool softener for the cat?! whaaat WAS that? These were the low points).

Overall, though - I really enjoyed this - felt a bit like a new, fresh voice in the rom-com world, without straying too much from what defines the romance genre. So I'm not here to quibble, quibble, I'm sold. ;)

I'm going to buy it for the library.

Quiet and shy Lily Greene, put-upon publishing assistant, really wants to break into editing children's books, but she's held back not only by multiple dead-end interviews but also by the feeling that she'll never be a successful businesswoman like her mother and sisters. She loves reading, though, and when she's stuck on a hot train car on a summer's day, she unexpectedly finds a website for her favorite book and author -- The Elves of Ceradon, by N. R. Strickland -- and she sends off a fangirl email to the author, just before she faints from the heat.

When Lily recovers, she discovers that N. R. Strickland has written back, setting off a months-long epistolary friendship that gradually feels more intimate. Before they get to video chat, however, Strick calls it off, implying that he isn't who she thinks he is, and ghosts her.

Five months later, Nick Brown is still settling into his Union Square apartment, bemused by his sudden success at getting a publishing deal not only to re-release his book The Elves of Ceradon but to pen a sequel as well, with an eye on a TV adaptation. He's facing a writer's block as well as regret over having to end his correspondence with the charming Lily G., but he's intrigued by his pretty but shy neighbor. As he gets to know his neighbor a little better, though, he soon realizes that his neighbor Lily is the same as Lily G -- and that he has to keep it a secret, because she clearly holds lingering anger over Strick's disappearance. But how can he stay away from Lily when she's all he ever wanted?


This book has SOOOO much that I love: books, insight into the publishing industry, a reclusive (ish) author, epistolary romance, an introvert heroine, a cinnamon roll hero, and did I mention BOOKS??? Lily and Nick are lovably flawed, quiet but caring characters, doing their best -- and then learning and doing even better. The obstacles they face along the way are believable and relatable, and the way they overcome those obstacles are equally believable and relatable. The author weaves social commentary smoothly into the plot, especially regarding the Black experience in writing and publishing, and it helped me understand these characters even better. The story is sweet and touching overall with moments of delicious spiciness, which makes it just about perfect.

I've only read one of Forest's YA novels (enjoyed it thoroughly), but her debut into writing adult romance is solid and heartwarming and very moreish -- so it's a good thing that Lily's sister Violet features in the next book. I CAN'T WAIT. I have a feeling that Lily and Nick have just moved into my head, rent-free, for an extended lease, and I will need more from their world soon.

Thank you, Berkley Romance and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

An interesting and engaging plot line that puts family and friends into the context in a warm and encouraging way.

I enjoyed getting to know Lily and Nick, but a sometimes-awkward narration made the action seem unsteady at times. Who the characters are, and why they are as they are, was interesting, but there were many points where the background narration was able to be skimmed without losing much of the action.

I did love the realistic resolution to the problems the characters face, and the happy-ever-after ending was satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the chance to read this appealing story. Release date is 28 Feb 2023.

I was hooked from the first pages, intrigued by the emails, and rooting for the second chance connection. This book was just everything I could want in a romance and so much more!