The Neighbor Favor Book Review
Check out my review of The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest, a sweet and swoony story featuring two bookworms in New York City who go from pen pals to lovers in this slow burn romance.
The beginning of The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest has such a strong hook, I was sucked in from the very first page and read the first 60% of the book in one sitting!
In this busy season of life I'm living, any story that captures my attention that strongly and holds fast for that long of a reading session feels like magic.
I came for the swoony romance but found myself staying for the family drama.
Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.
If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.
Summary of The Neighbor Favor
Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming a children’s books editor, but she’s been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over email turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain—until he ghosts her without a word.
Months later, Lily is still crushed, but she’s determined to get a hold of her life, starting with finding a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, who she feels drawn to for reasons she can’t explain. But little does she know, Nick is an author—her favorite fantasy author.
Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet girl from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over email months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but—not when he can't get her off his mind...
What I Liked
Here's what I would tell my best friend about the book:
- Excellent Hook: The first part of the story is told in a series of emails. I was already in love with this couple before they even met in real life. Modern day love letters at their best.
- Heroine Knows Her Worth: Lily is one of the strongest female romantic leads I've read in a while. She may struggle finding a match but she knows when someone doesn't meet her standards and she understands what she deserves. She's an excellent role model for being selective of your dating partners.
- Publishing Industry: Both characters work in the publishing industry and their work is a predominant plot point. They are both voracious readers and bond over their love of books. Yep, a book about books--Love them!
- Strong Family Dynamics: This is first in a series with the Greene sisters at the core. I loved meeting Lily's sisters, Ivy and Violet, and would love to read more about them in their sequels. Parents Dahlia and Ben and a series of cousins and aunts are briefly introduced but the broader family dynamics is loving and warm and wonderful. I expect great things from them in the next books.
- Chase Your Dreams / Second Chances: I loved the message that it is never too late to chase a dream and follow your heart even when you've faced obstacles and major mistakes.
What I Didn't Like
Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part.
There were a lot of characters introduced in this novel that were not essential to the core plot. At some moments, it was distracting and overwhelming.
However, already having been introduced to the full cast of players will make reading books 2 & 3 even more fun because we'll be able to jump into the action and revisit our new friends.
This is definitely a common drawback of a series romance vs. a stand-alone book. Expect some building up of the family characters beyond just the main leads.
Favorite Quotes
"I read somewhere that New Yorkers are not always nice, but they're always kind, and that's the best way I can describe it."
"She'd finally experienced how it felt to talk to someone she actually liked, and she didn't want to settle for less now."
"My boss always says that a good book will hook you instantly from the first page."
"If moving across an ocean has taught me anything, it's that sometimes things in life are messy, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth it."
"You found me when I didn't want to be found. You saved me."
How Spicy Is It?
🌶️🌶️🌶️: The Neighbor Favor rates a Level 3 on my spicy books rating scale. The romance is very much open door and detailed but there are only two scenes that support the plot progression.
Romantic Tropes and Content Warnings
The Neighbor Favor is a slow burn romance that could also potentially be listed as a workplace romance since the two main characters work for the same company albeit in very different roles.
You can read more about romance subgenres here.
It also takes advantage of the pretend relationships romantic trope for a small portion of the story.
The only content warnings I'd give you are that one character features a traumatic childhood backstory with neglectful and criminal parents and there is a little trouble with relationships to alcohol.
Overall Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I give The Neighbor Favor four stars on my star rating scale. It was such a sweet love story with major personal growth for both of the main characters. They truly brought the best out of each other and model excellent self-awareness during the dating period of their relationship.
While the Lily and Nick are quiet and sincere, the broader cast of characters includes some fiery and fun shenanigans that will make the follow up books in the series a joy to read.
Check out Violet's story in The Partner Plot (book 2) and Iris's story The Love Lyric (book 3) to complete the full The Green Sisters trilogy!
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