Member Reviews
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a cute romantic comedy! It was fairly predictable, but makes for a perfect vacation read! All the traveling the characters do during their road trip really made me want to hit the road and plan one of my own! The humor was spot on and had me cracking up at times! If you like romance, comedy, and a sweet HEA with a little bit of spice, this is the book for you!
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce is one I picked up based on some early promotion and I'm really glad I did. Contemporary is always hit or miss for me. I really don't know why...I love a good romance but for some reason I lean toward fantasy or historical genres instead. Well...let me tell you that I'm super happy to have picked this one up and I can't wait for the next book by Joyce.
Noelle Shepard is the fmc and a lot has happened over the last few months. Her beloved grandmother passed away, she lost her job, and is now living with her parents. Noelle is in this place where she's not really sure what to do - she doubts her photography skills and doesn't know what to do. When she comes across a letter and some pictures while going through her grandmother's things, she is immediately intrigued about who this man Paul is and why she never heard of him while her grandmother was alive. When she creates a TikTok to put the image out there and see if she can find anything out, she's surprised to hear back from someone stating that the man is his grandfather...and he wants to meet her.
When Noelle goes to her meeting with Paul and his grandson, she's surprised to see that the grandson is none other than her high school rival, Theo Spencer. While digging into her grandmother's relationship with Paul, a map comes to her attention and she decides it would be great to do the roadtrip that her grandmother and Paul were going to take. Paul decides to join her and Theo is coming too.
I thought the relationships in this book were well done. From Noelle and her family (loved her brother) to Theo and Paul. It was so great to get the backstory of Noelle and Theo's competitive high school days and see how it translates into who they are together now. This story is about more than just their relationship and the roadtrip. It was also about Noelle figuring out who she is and what she wants to do with her life...and not letting one opinion derail her from the dreams she has for herself. Theo is going through a pretty big thing in his life and he has to determine who he is going to trust and be vulnerable with. I loved how Paul was the balance between the two characters to get them to look at everything with open minds vs just defaulting to how they've always reacted.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself flipping through the pages to see how things were going to turn out for everyone. The characters are well developed and the story is interesting...and there are steamy bits too. If you like contemporary romance, consider picking this one up when you can. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next book by Joyce, whatever it is.
This is a contemporary romance with a high school rivals to adult lovers trope, but it's also a story about parallel generations discovering unlikely love and romance while working through the grieving process. There are enough other tropes to keep your contemporary rom-com-loving patrons delighted, but it skirts some gritty topics to keep things interesting.
I enjoyed the contrast and character development of Noelle/Ellie and Theo/Teddy as well as the supporting side characters. The use of the road trip and it's unveiling of their grandparents' unrealized romantic story along the way was a lovely plot device.
Would highly recommend!
Thank you for the ARC!
Love whenever I hear stories about lost loves finding each other later in life. This one is the granddaughter who found some pictures and posted it on TT to find who this man with her grandma was.
Though the who and who he is related to is kismet. The parallels between the relationship in the 50s and this new one seem similar.
Love a good enemies to lovers and loved the traveling the path of the never traveled honeymoon trip from 50 years before.
It was fun that the mcs live in Marin. I lived in SF for a long time and would drive that way all the time also to head home to Napa.
Such a fun and sweet book!
Thank you berkleyromance for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
What a beautiful debut! I loved the tropes featured: road-trip, forced proximity, rivals to lovers. The banter was excellent! The dual romance storylines complemented with the love letters made for such an emotional, heartfelt journey. The author also did a great job of exploring grief, self-worth, purpose, and success. Highly recommend! 4.5⭐️
I adored this book! Noelle and Theo are the best! Their banter is hilarious and so witty - I laughed out loud so many times. You, with a View is not only hilarious, but heartwarming (and a bit spicy!). I cried at the touching memories of Noelle and her grandmother and at the beautiful relationship between Theo and Paul. Much like the TikTok fans in the book were thanking Noelle for reminding them of their love and appreciation for their grandparents, I felt like I should be thanking Jessica Joyce for the same thing. Oh - and also Theo - I will thank her for Theo. ;-)
A beautiful book about second chances, soul mates, and love on every level... family, friends, and romantic. There were many tender moments between the characters that never felt forced or cheesy. Lots of introspective work and authentic character flaws.. This was truly a wonderful book and my only regret is not reading it sooner. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a cute romance and I enjoyed the travel aspect of it a lot.
Noelle is at her lowest point, 6 months after her grandmother passed away. She has no job, is living at her parents’ home, and is unsure where to go with her life. Her grandmother was her best friend and when she discovers an old love letter from a man she never heard her grandma mention before, she makes a TikTok to find out who he is. When she meets the mystery man, she learns he’s the grandfather of her high school rival Theo. The three of them decide to go on a road trip that her grandmother and past boyfriend had planned for their honeymoon that never happened.
I am a sucker for road trip novels. I think this one could have done that aspect a little bit better. I thought that the destinations and adventure were going to be a little more central to the story. Instead, it was a backdrop with the relationship between her grandmother and Paul and the love story between her and Theo.
I think that Joyce did a great job telling the story of two people struggling with finding themselves after the lives they imagined at 18 did not come to be at 28. Your late 20s can be difficult, especially when it’s not what you pictured it would be. I wish I had read this novel when I was 28. It was interesting to see how differently Theo and Noelle handled their issues as well. Joyce did a great job explaining the background and reason for why they reacted the way they did.
Noelle and Theo did have instant chemistry and I enjoyed their banter a lot. I do wish there had been a little bit more dislike from Noelle at the beginning, considering how much she disliked him growing up. But that’s just because I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers. I pretty much loved every relationship Noelle had. She had great family interactions and beautiful interactions with Paul as well.
The third act break up wasn’t even bad. It wasn’t a true third act break up which I appreciated. There was a conflict but it felt like it was handled realistically and not a dumb “just talk to each other!” type of conflict.
I enjoyed Noelle’s journey of growth. The romance was just a bonus. I think this is a great romance/fiction novel for people to read in the late 20s or at a time where your life is not moving the way you thought that it would. This is a very strong debut and I look forward to Joyce writing more. It wasn’t perfect for me, but it was still a fun and enjoyable read.
Easy. Just an easy, fun read. Fun banter, lots of chemistry and a fun escape. Two high school enemies reunite when they discover their grandparents were once madly in love. As they embark on the honeymoon road trip their grandparents never got to take, they realize they are writing a love story of their own.
I crave a hiking romance, and while this ended up being more of a photography + LinkedIn romance (who knew that was the social media romance I wanted), the hiking scenes in this are specific and great. The conflict is character-driven and the chemistry feels real. Read on a camping trip and it was the perfect read.
I loved this book!! The banter was amazing. The characters are amazing. Paul is everything I ever wanted in a grandpa and I want to bottle him up forever. I found this book to be so beautiful too; the way it describes the unique bond and grandchild and grandparent have was spot on. As someone who is very, very close with my grandma, this was it. This was it.
What a beautifully heartfelt book about second chances, fate, and holding close the people who mean the most to us. The road trip was a perfect backdrop for this sensitively told love story.
𝗬𝗢𝗨, 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 is a beautiful debut romance that follows Noelle, jobless and grieving her beloved grandmother, on a road trip with her Gram's first love, Paul, who also happens to be the grandfather of her high school rival, Theo.
The enemies-to-lovers relationship between Noelle and Theo is so authentic, and it was refreshing to read a love story where the characters express what they're feeling. They share their vulnerabilities, their grief and their fears in a mature way that's rare in this genre. There is no convenient miscommunication - they're just two people trying to figure out who they are and who they might be able to to be together.
From the flirty barbs and sizzling chemistry to the touching exploration of what love is and poignant letters from the past, this book checked every box of what I want in a summer read. It's not to be missed.
Thanks to Berkley for the copy to review.
Great cover!!! Beautiful story!!!
Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
- Lord Huron is the best
- Because I’m a contrarian, it is entirely possible to have more than one love of your life
- Peloton classes are no joke, in Noelle’s defence
- So these two definitely wanted to bang in high school, they just hid behind insults & derision instead
- The mystery of Gram & Paul is fun
- Not to be stereotypical, but I’m not sure an elderly man would have a soft top Bronco…
- Now, a 30 under 30 person would probably have a Bronco
- Oh Paul, you adorably devious old man
- Also, you know Theo is an absolute sucker for Noelle because she has a nickname
- Dimples & money are a dangerous combination
- Okay Jessica we need to pump the brakes on this “dimple popping” descriptor because I’ve already had to read it too many times. I’m on page 54…
- Betty the bronco 🥹😍
- Boners for Broncos isn’t a horrible band name
- I can’t wait for Theo to express his love & pining for Noelle
- Road trip tiiiiiiiiime
- This is going to be good
- Well Theo’s dad sounds like a garbage person
- There better be some good smut in this book or I will throw my ereader across the room
- Dresses are an excellent reason not to wear pants
- *sings* there’s wine & sexual tensioooooon
- I feel a one bed scene happening
- It better be fucking good
- Emphasis on the fucking
- “We’re not the same people we were in high school” really sounds like “now I can stop pretending I hate you”
- I think I love Thomas
- Oh Theo
- The levels of pining are lethal
- I really love Paul
- Oop Theo’s gone into protector mode 👀👀
- We do love being told to take our pants off in a bossy tone
- McAngsty is an A+ nickname
- Oh yes because “look but don’t touch” always goes so well when there’s like 10 years of built up sexual frustration
- “I saw your Tic Tac” 🥹🥹
- Paul must be protected at all costs
- We need a Paul fan club
- Cheeky cheeky Theo
- 12/10 for that kiss
- Oooooooooh it’s one bed time!!!!!
- I am LIVING
- Theo could you at least have your big sad with Noelle & Paul instead of being all dark & morose about it like come on my dude
- Can we please give Jessica Joyce all the awards for not mentioning dick size? It might be coming (ha ha) during the actual sex scenes but there has not been a singular peen measurement comment which is fucking delightful
- Paul is the sneakiest & I love him
- This is so fucking cute I’m dying
- Also as a lover of travel, this book really speaks to my soul
- Not a fan of this “dickmatized” business
- Aaaaaand now we’ve mentioned the size of the peen *sigh*
- I was so hopeful
- Okay that wasn’t awful actually
- Thomas kills me
- Paul absolutely knows what’s going on
- He’s a smart man
- & these two are not subtle
- This book is really a love letter to grandparents & it’s so heartwarming
- If Sean ever tried to kiss me awake I would punch him in the mouth
- You can’t consent while you’re asleep, regardless of relationship status
- It’s a no from me
- “You’ve been downright cheerful” is the best backhanded compliment
- These notes are really just me being obsessed with Paul
- This is another book where the third act breakup is going to hurt like hell
- Romance really is its own form of masochism
- Do not love this going to the psychic idea
- Nope nope nope
- I sort of take it back
- Flor had good vibes
- “I don’t want to be done with this at all”
- Goodbye
- I have simply ceased to exist
- This Tell Me a Secret game is actually really cute
- Let’s see how these two fuckwits mess this up
- The two of you have been half in love with each other since high school why is falling in love so surprising
- Theo you absolute nincompoop
- I would absolutely read a prequel about Noelle’s parents
- Alright these two need to sort their shit out before I do it for them
- Wait hold on
- We have a man who is apologizing
- Oh no there’s photos help
- “This is the way I fell in love with you”
- Goodbye
- I have ceased to exist
- 12/10 for proposal
- This book was so sweet
Top Pick - 4.5 Stars
Noelle is not pleased with her life at the moment. She is stuck at home with no job and grieving her grandmother. She can’t seem to shake her rut until she discovers old letters her grandmother had hidden away. There is even a picture of her with a mysterious man. Eager to learn more about her grandmother’s past, Noelle posts it on her TikTok page and garnishes the attention of the elderly man who was her grandmother’s former beau.
She agrees to meet with the gentleman, but she doesn’t anticipate that his grandson will be her nemesis from high school. Theo is not the same guy she remembers, but he is still kind of aloof and distant. His grandfather, Paul, reveals that he and her grandmother were to elope and go on a honeymoon. Since they never got to do it, Noelle decides to explore the place for herself. Paul and Theo opt to go with her.
I really did enjoy this heartwarming romance. It is very interesting how authors are using social media in romance novels. Some can do it right, and others rely too much on it to carry the story. Ms. Joyce uses it to jumpstart the introduction of the hero and heroine but doesn’t rely on that to carry the entire story. There is enough with Paul and Kathleen’s romance, plus the new budding romance with Theo and Noelle, to keep a reader’s interest.
I really love that along the way, Theo and Noelle’s relationship got to slowly shift towards more. They both seem eager to be in something and if I’m being honest, the angst could have been more intense. The sweetness of the romance needed just a bit of edge to make this 100% perfect. The two learn more about themselves and are able to open up and finish what their grandparent never could.
This debut novel is definitely one to read. I recommend it for contemporary romance lovers. I’m anticipating more, and Ms. Joyce has officially put herself on my radar.
~ Samantha
I don’t know about you but summer always calls for a road trip or a book with a road trip! It’s an interesting concept that your grandparents had a life before they were well, grandparents! Of course, they had a life, were teens, young adults, made mistakes and fell in love. When Noelle’s beloved grandmother dies she discovers some old pictures where she looks clearly in love and the man in the pictures are not her grandfather.
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She heads to TikTok to find the mystery man and finds him! She also discovers that the grandson of the mystery man is her high school nemesis, but no surprise here he won’t be her nemesis for long!
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I loved this story and Noelle and Theo’s as well! Also, spoiler alert but the engagement at the end of this might be one of my favorite engagements in a book!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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You, With a View is an antagonists-to-lovers road trip romance. But what made this delightful book impossible to put down is the way Jessica Joyce highlights the FMC’s grief while still creating an entertaining and steamy story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Noelle’s been mourning her grandmother Kat’s death for months, and getting laid off from her mundane job hasn’t helped her mental well being. But while going through her grandmother’s things, she finds a letter that says Kat almost eloped with another man before she met Noelle’s grandfather. Naturally, photographer Noelle creates a TikTok video looking for this mystery man. She tracks down Paul through his grandson Theo, who was her high school rival. Ultimately Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip that Paul and Kat never did, and Paul asks if he and Theo can accompany her. Noelle desperately wants to travel this route to be closer to Kat’s memory, but can she and Theo put their animosity aside to truly make the most of this trip?
You, With a View is the perfect combination of characters, mission/plot, and sightseeing. Besides, is there a road trip romance that doesn’t involve only one bed at some point? I doubt it. It helps that Noelle and Theo have chemistry that leaps off the page every time they bicker and banter with each other.
In addition to all the quips, there is a wistfulness throughout the book which creates a unique tone. I thought the discussion of grief was top notch, and I like the way it enhanced the characters and their feelings without being too depressing. That said, I may have gotten misty-eyed a few times, mostly when Noelle and Theo read Kat and Paul’s letters.
I love a road trip romance. I adore the forced proximity and the hope of only one bed. But as someone who was very close with my own grandmother, this book hit all the right beats for me, with grief, humor, and heat combining for a fantastic romance. I loved this introduction to Jessica Joyce, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It's been a while since I've read a romance where the chemistry just jumps off the page and doesn't let up.
Noelle has lost her grandmother, lost her job, and lost her direction. She's really unsure how to get back on her feet after her best friend, and Grandmother, is gone. When she finds a photo that hints of a secret she didn't know about, she heads to social media to try to find out who the man is in a picture with her Gram. Finding that man, she also finds he's the grandfather of her high school nemesis, Theo. What happens next is a road trip of epic proportions as Noelle tries to find out more about her grandmother through the eyes of Paul, her secret love, and the only guy in high school who could rival her in both sports and academics.
This novel is a beautiful story about grief and healing, about finding ways to honour the people we love and lose, and about trusting ourselves when our paths seem uncertain. It's about doubt, and leaning on each other in times of need. It's a great love story, both the one in the past and the one that unfolds in the present. I loved every minute of this book.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce is one of the better books I've read this year and I don't feel it is being talked about enough! After losing her grandmother, Noelle sets out to find her grandmothers lost love. She then embarks on a road trip to visit the places they never got chance to. However, she is accompanied by her high school rival. This second chance trope delivered on everything a good romance should bring! I can't wait to read more from this author!
I absolutely adored this book, from the road trip setting to the matchmaking grandfather, I went through all the emotions. It made me laugh, cry, scowl, and grieve. While I haven’t lost a grandparent yet, Jessica Joyce did an amazing job portraying how the loss of a loved one can affect a person. I felt the pain, the loss, the intense need to keep that person’s memory alive any way you can. And while our FMC lost her loved one, our MMC had his own demons which involved a helicopter father and a job that wasn’t all that he wanted it to be. If you have recently experienced a personal loss, job loss, or just know what it’s like to have a dream seem to slip away from you, enter this story with caution. Along with a box of tissues and emotional support chocolate. But do read it. It has an inspiring message and two beautiful love stories that need to be heard.
Between losing her job, living with her parents again at age 28, and seeing her high school nemesis in the Forbes 30 Under 30 article, Noelle Shephard is at the end of her rope. She had long given up her dream of becoming a professional photographer, and after losing her grandmother six months ago, she feels adrift in life. When she finds old photos and letters kept hidden by her grandmother, sent from a man she was in love with, Noelle decides she has nothing to lose and takes to TikTok to investigate. And then she receives the comment that changes everything - “that’s my grandfather.” Soon she finds herself on the grandfather’s doorstep…and meets the grandson she has been corresponding with for weeks, Mr. Forbes 30 Under 30 himself, Theo Spencer. Desperately trying to ignore his presence, she makes plans with his grandfather to take the honeymoon road trip he never went on with her grandmother. Except Theo tags along, begrudgingly. It’s not long before old memories resurface, sparks fly, and they realize that it only takes two weeks to turn hate into love.
The chemistry and tension between Noelle and Theo was exquisite. The banter, the emotional tug-of-war between wanting to yell at each other and kiss each other, the matchmaking grandfather who was determined to bring them together. It was all perfection. There was, of course, the obligatory one bed situation that was just *chef’s kiss* and sparked the beginning of a beautiful road trip fling. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Noelle was grieving but also trying to make the most out of the surprises life had handed her. Not only was Theo’s grandfather (Paul) an absolute charmer who wanted her to have a wonderful experience, but Theo also saw through to her pain and was clearly enamored with her from the start. He had his own struggles, and while he helped her realize her own worth, she helped him realize life was worth living the way you want to live it. Poor Theo had gotten so wrapped up in his father’s vision that he forgot his own. And Noelle helped him see that. The intimate scenes were intense due to their emotional connection, and while the physical parts were steamy, their affection and love for each other made it memorable. I could practically hear their souls sighing in relief at finally finding each other. True soulmates.
I am officially adding this author to my auto-buy list. Anyone who can make me cry happy tears, sad tears, and everything in between is an amazing writer, and I’m positive whatever she writes next will be equally worthy of a read.