Love at First

January 18, 2021
Clayborn follows Love Lettering with this fun but forgettable take on the enemies-to-lovers trope. When Nora Clarke inherits her Nonna’s beloved Chicago apartment, she’s determined to preserve the magic of the old building and keep intact the found family the building’s residents have formed over the years. But another tenant’s death leaves a neighboring apartment in unpredictable hands. Will Sterling is shocked to inherit his estranged uncle’s apartment and immediately detests the building for its “musty-smelling hallways, must-avoid light fixtures, and mustard wall paper” and the unpleasant memory it holds of the first and only time he met his uncle. He wants nothing to do with the apartment, but the will states he must keep it for at least a year before he can sell it—so he decides to renovate and list the apartment for short-term rentals, much to the chagrin of the building’s other occupants. Nora and her eccentric neighbors scheme to delay Will’s progress—and this sabotage often forces Nora across Will’s path, making time for their mutual attraction to evolve into a genuine connection. Though the story feels familiar, Will and Nora’s chemistry and the quirky side characters keep the pages turning. Clayborn’s fans will be pleased.