In You, with a View expect to find:
-forced proximity
-only one bed
-snarky/sarcastic banter
-they call each other by their last names
-themes of grief/loneliness/imposter syndrome
-he's so gone for her

Noelle is floundering a bit in life at the moment. She recently lost her grandmother, got laid off from her job and is currently living with her parents. While going through her grandmothers belonging, Noelle comes across letters that she wrote to a beau named Paul. Noelle has no idea who Paul is and no one has ever uttered a word about him in her family. So she goes to the best source possible to find someone TikTok. This is where Noelle runs into her (sexy) high school nemesis Theo who she hasn't seen in years. Turns out Theo is Paul's grandson and he gets her in contact with him. This sets off a chain of events where Theo, Paul and Noelle eventually decide to road trip together so that Paul can share more of his relationship with Noelle's grandmother. So what if Theo and Noelle grow closer together during their road trip. Nothing can come of it, they're at different parts of their lives - he's a Forbes magazine entrepreneur and Noelle is struggling to get by not knowing where her future is headed.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with You, with a View, but this book surprised me in the best way. I admit, it did start off a bit slowly but once it picked up for me I had a hard time stopping. I loved every single character in this story as well as the letters that Noelle got to read of her grandmother. Grief can mean so many different things for so many of us. Noelle's journey with the loss of her grandmother was one that was both hard for her and bittersweet.

The star of the book for me was definitely Theo. He was funny, sarcastic and oh so sweet. You could tell right from the beginning how much he wanted to spend time with Noelle. Their interactions were sweet and spicy and I loved their Tell Me a Secret game 🔥🔥.

If you're looking for a romance with tons of banter, a slow burn intermixed with strong family ties and a thread of grief I highly suggest You with a View. I have so many parts highlighted that I can't wait to go back and reread.

Overall I would give You with a View between 4 and 4.5 stars.

This is my first 5 star read of the year and I devoured it. I was very lucky to get an ARC buddy read copy of this. Even before reading, I was so intrigued by the premise. This is an enemies/ rivals to lovers with an adventure/ road trip aspect which I really loved (one bed trope alert)!

Noelle, the fmc, was likeable and I totally felt what she was going through on her journey. I really tangibly felt her confidence grow as the story went on.

The chemistry between the two main characters was great. I sometimes find the enemies to lovers can be a bit too much, but this had the right amount of banter without it being over the top.

The last thing that really stuck with me is how aware the characters were which made the story flow so well. As much as this stayed true to the romance format and style, I found that for the most part there wasn’t a huge amount of misunderstanding or muddled dialogue to distract from. I find that sometimes in romance novels (as much as I adore them), have me frustrated that the characters didn’t just talk it out or be honest with their feelings or themselves.

All in all would whole heartedly recommend this one. So excited to follow Jessica Joyce and can’t believe this is her debut novel! I have no doubt this is going to be a fav for a lot of people!

I'm blown away by this book and it being Jessica Joyce's debut romance novel. This does not read at all like a debut, but a very seasoned writer who expertly creates a story that will leave you wanting more.

This book has got:
- High school rivals to adult enemies to lovers
- Road trip
- Lovely epistolary elements
- Going viral on TikTok
- Scenic vibes
- Roasting as a love language
- Calling one another by last names
- ONLY ONE BED AT THE AIR BNB!

Noelle is feeling adrift after the sudden loss of her grandmother/best friend, and also being laid off from her dull day job. She discovers some love letters from an old love her Grandmother had before her Grandfather. Using TikTok she finds who the man was from the pictures she posts, and it turns out to be the Grandfather of her high school nemesis Theo.

She's finally inspired by taking the honeymoon trip that her Grandmother never went on and all of a sudden she's traveling and taking pictures again on the road with Theo and Paul, the lover from her Grandmother's past.

This book delves into the layers of grief and how we all process it in our own ways. Noelle and Theo come together during a challenging time in both of their lives. Neither feels like they are moving through life in the right way, but together they start to dust one another off and help shine the sparkle back on each other's lives. I loved that there was acceptance of loving someone no matter where they are at. It's a powerful message to see through their relationship that you don't have to be all the things you think you need to be to be loved.

I am obsessed with so many of the side characters in this book! Mas, Noelle's brother was hilarious but also so loving and supportive. Paul was a gem and definitely needs to be added to the National Treasure list. Noelle's parents were also super sweet.

The other thing I enjoyed was all the scenery of the places they traveled to. I think Jessica did an amazing job at making it detailed enough to get a beautiful picture but not too detailed that it was overwhelming. I also was delighted by the lover letters that fueled this story and seeing how everything came full circle for Noelle and Theo at the end.

The two had such amazing chemistry, but I also truly enjoyed their competitive relationship that roasted one another in a hilarious way so many times throughout the book. I found myself laughing, and tearing up during this book. It took me on an emotional journey that I crave from a wonderful developed romance. I will be having a huge book hangover from reading this one.

I highly suggest getting a pre-order, it comes out July 11th and I promise you won't be sorry!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-arc.

I loved this book! The road trip coupled with the letters and story telling was done so well. Noelle and Theo worked so well together, opposites who complimented each other perfectly. The addition of social media was a good balance, and the epilogue had me swooning!

It's not often that the characters in a book become so real to me that I cry, but I was a little weepy at parts. The story had some of my favorite elements: hidden letters, long lost loves, and road trips. The dialogue was so snarky and fun - you couldn't help but love Theo and Noelle. A brilliant debut!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC.

Noelle Shepard feels as if she's hit rock bottom. She's living at home, unemployed and still reeling from the death of her beloved grandmother — her soulmate — six months ago. But all of that changes when she posts a TikTok, hoping to find an unidentified man in a series of photos with her grandmother. She wakes up one morning to 2 million views...and a DM from someone who recognizes his grandfather.

Noelle is over-the-moon excited until she realizes the DMer is Theo Spencer, her high school arch-nemesis and accomplished app developer. And when he and his grandfather Paul decide to join her on the honeymoon he never took with her grandmother, the tension that's been simmering between them for over 15 years threatens to bubble over.

I finished this electric debut three weeks ago and I still have a book hangover from it. Joyce handles the grieving process with care but the real magic lies in Noelle. This heroine is messy and complicated and does not have her life together. As she stumbles through the dark to find her way back to who she used to be — an ace photographer who has had her passion beaten out of her by a bad boss — Joyce hits on the way we all feel lost in our late 20s.

And in trying to connect with her old self, Noelle discovers she fits with Theo in a way she never quite expected. It's the epitome of the academic rivals-to-lovers trope and I loved every single second of it. This is one I will buy when it's released because I'll absolutely need my own copy.

Absolutely loved this!! The rivals-to-lovers aspect provided the perfect amount of romantic tension, balanced against deeper themes of losing a loved one, a struggling relationship with a parent, and societal expectations/pressures. As a photography lover, I really related to that aspect of Noelle's characters. And I just adored the grandfather figure, Paul, and how his character played into the relationship.

Just an overall wonderful romance that will suck you in! Highly recommend!

(This is my featured newsletter review for the month of April!)

This was really lovely. I enjoyed the grandfather so much and the trip they took was just perfect. I will purchase this for my library and keep my eyes out for another book by Jessica Joyce.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

You, With a View is an excellent and adorable road trip romance. The story follows Noelle, a former overachiever who has lost her way in life after career setbacks and the death of her beloved grandma. When she stumbles across photos and love letters written by her grandma to a stranger, Noelle becomes obsessed with tracking the mystery man down. She decides to post a TikTok about her search. Turns out, the mystery guy is the grandfather of her high school nemesis, Theo. When Noelle finds out her grandma planned a road trip with her long lost love that she sadly never took, Noelle decides to go on the trip and document her journey. Theo and his grandpa ask to tag along and Noelle finds so much more than expected on the trip.

This was such a sweet and heartfelt story that was full of emotion and steam. Noelle and Theo had a ton of chemistry and excellent banter. I also enjoyed the secondary (bittersweet) love story between the grandparents. This story has many heavier themes, but Joyce always manages to inject just the right amount of humor to make it a feel-good story. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

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

3 stars.

Unfortunately I finished You, With a View a bit disappointed. I’m a huge fan of the childhood nemesis to lovers trope, and I’ve been looking for books similar to Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan. Theo and Noelle were high school nemesis, but I never truly felt the two actually disliked each other or were nemesis’s. Personally, I would have preferred some short flashbacks of Theo and Noelle in high school. Felt like that part of their relationship was very much “tell, no show.”

Theo and Noelle transitioned from “enemies” to lovers far too quickly for my liking. Perhaps it was too quick because I thought the angst/build up was lacking. Overall, the romance was a bit generic and forgetful.

I love road trip books. I love being able to live vicariously through the characters as they traverse the country. However, I want a huge fan of the road trip because the road trip felt very forgettable. I never was able to put myself in the shoes of the character and be present in those moments.

Overall, it was a cute book. But forgettable. I did like Noelle’s storyline with her grandmother. I felt like Noelle had good character development. Theo had potential, but felt the whole storyline/conflict was a bit thrown in and rushed.

This is a fresh, modern romance that will make you feel all kinds of emotions.
It is a touching story but also funny and steamy.
All the characters are well written and you won't want to put it down once you start.

Two high school enemies reunite on a road trip inspired by their grandparents’ broken engagement only to find that all that tension between them definitely is something more. Noelle Shepherd is currently unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she suddenly discovers decades old photos of her grandmother with a handsome man who looks smitten with her, alongside a love letter. Noelle creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man and then it suddenly goes viral and she receives a message from the man’s grandson.... who just happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer. Noelle definitely has not (she definitely has) been keeping tabs on Theo’s accomplishments over the years, from being handsome, rich, and successful... and still outdoing her. Yet she’s not going to let him get in the way of her meeting his grandfather and finding out his secret past and relationship with her grandmother. When she finds out that they had planned to elope but those plans were thwarted... she decides to go on the honeymoon road trip they had planned to go on but never goat the chance... the only catch? Paul ( Theo’s grandfather) wants to come... and he’s insisting that Theo join them. Noelle wants to go on the trip with Paul but she doubts she can stand to be around Theo and his sexy smirk and the way he gets under her skin. Noelle is stuck between wanting to throw Theo out the car and sharing a bed with him. The more time they are forced to spend together on this romantic trip... the more they discover things about one another and the tension between them only gets stronger... yet can their possible relationship survive the trip or will their own secrets ruin it? This was a very touching and sweet romance read, it definitely gave me Letters to Juliet (movie with Amanda Seyfried) vibes. The romance between Noelle and Theo was cute, yes they get under each other’s skin and yes Theo can be a bit of a grump, but they balance each other out, they’re supportive and caring, and honestly the way this book stresses being open to understanding the way someone else is processing their happiness and their emotions was such a beautiful and sweet message. I had a blast reading this one and would definitely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Went into You, with a View blind and had the best time! Jessica Joyce is now on my radar as an author to keep tabs on in the future.

Feeling a bit lost in both her personal and professional life, Noelle Shepherd embarks on a roadtrip that she hopes has some closure and clarity to offer. Accompanied by an important man from her dear grandmother's past and an old high school rival, the journey hardly unravels in a way she expects but may end up being a gift from the universe.

This story was so incredibly endearing and charming and just....really wonderful. The plot had my interest immediately, as did the main characters - Noelle, Theo and Paul. I fell a little bit in love with each of them as they similarly grew to love one another. As this traveling trio referenced the past to teach them how to navigate the present, they also learned that perhaps the future isn't as scary as it seems with others standing in your corner.

Also, You, with a View was spicier than I anticipated which could never be a bad thing. Theo and Noelle's history served as such a great jumping off point for their tension and banter and though this wasn't dual POV, Theo still felt like a vibrant personality that had me swooning and giddy.

This book was such a pleasant surprise, one I know will make for a popular beach read in just a few months!

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Jessica Joyce for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the book of the summer. I absolutely adore the writing and these characters. I felt their longing, the tension, and god it made me miss my grandpa.

This has become one of those books I would love to read for the first time again so I can blindly experience the beauty of the story. Finishing it made me very sad, but I loved it soooo much, all I feel is adoration for this story.

The romance is so perfectly woven with the grief. Noelle discovering a part of her grandma’s life she didn’t even imagine was the perfect opportunity to feel close to her again, and while she achieves this, falling for Theo and getting to know Paul feels like the biggest highlight out of the road trip. I loved the perfect balance between Paul and Kat’s past history and Noelle and Theo’s present one. And God, this romance. Big feelings. Theo and Noelle are so perfect for each other. The kissing (so. much. kissing, and it was glorious), the vulnerability of experiencing new feelings after being rivals for years, the fact that both of them were going through a rough patch and being together helped… it was such an intense romance and I loved it.

This book has made it to the bold stage on my 2023 reading list, which, if you don’t know, means it’s a top favorite of the year, and I can’t wait to see what’s coming next from Jessica. She has a huge gift for words and romance. This is only her debut (freaking amazing and unbelievable if you ask me), but she’s become a favorite author.

TW: Death of a loved one, grief

Rating: 5+/5
Steam level: Open door, 3-4 scenes, medium level of detail

ARC provided by Jessica Joyce, Berkley and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

I really liked this one! Before starting it, I though it was a YA book. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't! While I enjoy YA, I liked the depth of emotion and romance this one provided.

The star of this was definitely Paul. I loved everything about him. The story of his relationship with Noelle's grandmother was painfully beautiful. His complete acceptance of Noelle was adorable. I loved him, and I wish we had even more of him.

I also loved the main romance. The tension between Theo and Noelle was palpable, even when they were insistent that they hated each other. Watching their romance evolve was swoonworthy. The quiet support they provided each other is everything anyone wants in a partner. I loved them together. (view spoiler)

If you've ever eyed this one, you should definitely pick it up! I loved how tender and heartfelt it was!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Did I just declare that me and Jessica are now best friends without her knowing?! YEP! This book, OMG this book. To say I loved this book is an understatement. This book just became one of the top five all time favorite books. This author captured everything, and I mean everything, I adore in a romance book. There was banter laced with undertones of things unsaid, the freaking tension and angst that consumed every interaction, and of course the damn “one bed trope”.

This story is felt throughout your whole body. Shepard and Spencer are literalary perfection. There’s so much emotion in their story becuase of how vulnerable each of them were. This love story isn’t a fairytale. It’s raw and filled with flaws just like real life. It doesn’t sugarcoat the truth and brings to light that the imperfections of life are the ones peoples should treasure. The author doesn’t romanticize love or provide unrealistic expectations of what a relationship entails. She crafted a book that goes beyond romance and touches on other themes that speak to your heart and redefines the dedication of love.

I have no problem stating that this book is one of my top favorite books. It was a dynamite debut from an author that that I will autobuy all her books. Get ready to memorize my creditcard Jessica!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the amazing opportunity to read this ARC

This was incredible! It was emotional, hilarious, sexy, and adventurous and it gave me all the feels. One minute I was crying, the next laughing out loud, and don't even get me started on the steamy scenes! I couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting. For some reason, this story gave me a huge sense of nostalgia, which I love!

Theo and Noelle have remained in my heart and mind since the moment I started page one. This book is such a vibrant and poignant romance, with some of my favourite characters I’ve ever encountered. At the heart of it, this is a story about navigating grief and life after loss, but it goes so much deeper than that.

The tropes in this book are absolutely top-notch:
📸 second chance romance
📸 enemies/rivals-to-lovers
📸 road trip
📸 only one pull out couch
📸 pining pining pining
📸 it was always you

Theo and Noelle are beautiful. The intergenerational aspect to this book is beautiful. The scenery is beautiful. I ADORE this book.

I was originally trying to hold off on posting a full review of this because it doesn’t come out until July, but damn it, I want to talk about it now because You, with a View has been living rent free in my head since I finished it. And, because I loved pretty much everything about this and the overall theme of my review would be “AHHHH buy this as soon as you can!” which is a great review but not a particularly helpful one, here is a list of some of what I loved about the story:

- Paul. Yes, the best character in this romance is not one the love interests, but soft, cinnamon roll grampa Paul

- But also Noelle and Theo are perfect. Despite (or because of) their bickering rivalry, they are so damn supportive of one another, and their love story feels grounded and real. And their chemistry? Actually sizzling off the page

- Noelle’s grief journey is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, and so beautifully done. Anyone who has ever lost someone will be able to see themselves in her story

- I loved how the arc of the story plays out between the letters and the road trip, working in tandem to provide a vehicle to propel the story forward in a wholly satisfying way (sorry for this English major moment, but it’s such a cool structure!)

- Joyce’s writing is exquisite and I will read anything she publishes from now until forever

So yeah. Loved this book. It’s a delight. Buy this as soon as you can (ahhh)!