The Grumpy Landlord: A Steamy Grumpy Sunshine Best Friend's Brother Romance

by Anna May Grace

He’s my best friend’s grumpy brother, my new landlord, and the one man I’m strictly forbidden to touch.

Ethan Rourke is a surgeon with a God complex and a house like a museum.

Cold. Sterile. Terrifyingly orderly.

I’m a chaotic artist with a cat who thinks prize roses are chew toys.

When I got evicted, he offered me his guest house.

Big mistake.

Now I’m living fifty feet away from the most brooding, damaged, insanely hot man in town.

He wants silence.

I bring noise.

He has strict rules about "boundaries" and "quiet hours."

I have a bad habit of breaking them.

We are fire and ice.

We shouldn't work.

But when a late-night argument turns into him pinning me against a wall covered in paint…

I realize the ice is just a shield.

And the fire is going to consume us both.

He thinks he’s too broken to love.

He says I’m just a temporary mess he has to clean up.

But the way he holds me in the dark tells a different story.

I’m ready to paint a future with him.

If only he doesn't scrub me out of his life first.

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 17, 2025

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grumpy Landlord — Anna May Grace
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

This was such a fun, grumpy-meets-sunshine romance with just the right mix of humor, heart, and slow-burn tension.

The MMC is peak grumpy landlord energy — closed-off, rigid, and very set in his ways. The FMC, on the other hand, is warm, determined, and not at all intimidated by his attitude. From the moment their paths cross, the banter is sharp and the chemistry simmers under every interaction.

The vibes:
🏠 Grumpy landlord x persistent tenant
😒 “I don’t need anyone” MMC energy
💬 Witty banter and slow-burn tension
💔 Emotional walls + gradual softening
🫶 Comfort, growth, and earned romance

What I really enjoyed was watching the MMC slowly unravel — the cracks in his gruff exterior showing as feelings sneak in despite his best efforts. The romance doesn’t rush, and the emotional payoff feels satisfying because you see the growth happen step by step.

If you love grumpy heroes, opposites-attract dynamics, and romances where irritation turns into affection (and then something deeper), The Grumpy Landlord is an enjoyable, cozy read that I definitely recommend.

[Book Escapes Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most important element of my review is that I really enjoyed this book. I was expecting something light and maybe a little frivolous, but what I discovered was intense in places with strong elements relating to personal trauma and issues with mental health. However, the story never felt overwhelming, and the romance theme is solid. I do enjoy books where the story allows the lead characters to find each other early on and then navigate the challenges that arise along their shared journey. The Grumpy Landlord certainly ticks that box, and I was definitely pleased with the way their relationship unfolded.

This is an open-door romance, but it was handled with genuine empathy, and nothing felt seedy. Yes, there are references and descriptions of sex, but the writing is mature, and whilst intense, the scenes are not gratuitous.

The characters are well developed, and I was invested in discovering how Willow and Ethan would bridge their differences and find a happy ending. In fairness, that was not an easy road to travel, so the support of Willow’s friends, Riley, and Sadie was invaluable. The dynamic created as a result of Willow’s best friend, Sadie, also being Ethan’s little sister, was particularly interesting and proved to be the catalyst for their burgeoning relationship.

The only frustration for me was that I believe the book would have benefited from a good beta reader. There were flaws to the continuity, which, although they didn’t ruin my enjoyment, I found them frustrating. Perhaps the author will take an opportunity to iron out the irritating wrinkles and take this book to the next level. I am used to the occasional imperfections of early reading copies, so I was still able to enjoy this story and wouldn’t hesitate to read more of their books in the future.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would of done 3 1/2 stars cuz of some issues that could of been fixed by proof reading
An Author Friend of mine suggested this story & thought it would be a story I'd like & for the most part I really did enjoy this! I don't want to give much away cuz it's better for the creativity the writer is conveying!
The story was very well written the characters you can picture in your mind & imagine what Anna is weaving!
Only thing I didn't like was it has much detailed Sex for my taste, but you're able to skim over to the point you can skip the majority and just get back to the guts of the incredible story. The other part was the repetitive of some parts and some totally confusing parts(like someone getting out of a shower wearing a towel to them kissing getting hot & heavy to turn around & take off her clothes instead of just the towel she was wearing; things like that & the proposal)but with the emotional upheavals mmm not the right word maybe the emotional issues No don't like this word either cuz it is very serious again don't want to give away the story that the mains are experiencing(it's believable do to how many people are diagnosed with not to mention the other one which would be categorized as mental health which I don't agree with which is why having a hard time finding the right word)& can be why repetitive, but I just yell at it to get on with it, you said that last time but dealing with the traumatic ailments I've seen it done with real people experiencing these same issues it difficult to overcome but with perseverance, support & so much understanding they can be!
Other than the problems I mentioned it was Beautiful
Thank you, Anna for such A Beautifully written Story
Look forward to the next

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan and Willow

Tropes:
* Small town
* Sister’s best friend/Best friend’s brother
* Opposites attract
* Grumpy x sunshine
* He falls first
* Protective MMC
* Artsy FMC

It started one way and went another.
Willow is a free-spirited artist, who is currently being treated pretty horribly.
Ethan is her best friend’s brother, an uptight surgeon recruited into helping her find a place to live.
Offering her a guest house on his property, little does he know how much his world is going to change.

I liked Willow, and it took me a while to like Ethan - he was a bit of an a-z….
The villain was deliciously deranged, thankfully not bunny boiler, but definitely heading that way…!

I loved the very slow awakening…. Definitely a bit more palatable than the whole ‘I’ve known you 5 seconds, let’s get into bed’ version of the instalove trope.
What I didn’t like was the additional angst that led to a pretty serious consequence (partial third act breakup), and the lack of anything permanent for the nasty troll woman stealing her gallery time.

Overall, a page turner with a mix of sweet, spicy and cute. The HEA was gorgeous and had a deeper meaning for anything not feeling quite right.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura vines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of this story, a bohemian artist who is a little chaotic and a tightly wound former soldier who is now a surgeon suffering with PTSD forced to live together. Grumpy vs sunshine, best friend's brother, and forced proximity are some of my favorite tropes. But this story somehow just missed the mark. The FMC & MMC were likeable and I really liked their chemistry. It was the other characters I had an issue with. First, I don't understand the MMC's sister and didnt get why everyone in town had an opinion of either one of them. Also there were a few times in the book where one thing would be happening and then it was like wait that can't be right. For instance someone would be in just a towel after a shower and a few sentences later someone is helping them take their clothes off from before the shower. Maybe that wont bother some readers but I found it distracting. Overall not a bad story just not great. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marci Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️
This story felt a little chaotic at times. I couldn’t tell if that was on purpose (since chaos seemed to be part of the theme) or if it’s just how this author writes. This was my first book by them, so I’m not totally sure.

I did like the storyline between Willow and Ethan. The messy, loud, over-the-top artist paired with the super rigid, ex-military, Type A surgeon was a fun contrast. I liked that each character had their own voice in their chapters. Ethan’s felt very stiff and controlled, while Willow’s were softer and more emotional.

Watching Ethan work through the PTSD from his military days was one of the stronger parts of the book.

That said, there were some areas that pulled me out of the story, plus some repetition and overused words.

Overall, if you’re into cozy reads and can overlook some that, this might still be worth checking out. This was read and reviewed as an ARC, but this is my honest review.

[Jessica Simants · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this was a cute plot idea but in truth I think the writing missed the mark a little. While there is a brief instance of there being a landlord/tenant relationship but it really wasn’t. It was very insta lovey and full of the main characters jumping to conclusions about what the other wants or needs. It was mentioned that they knew each other when they were growing up but then there was no dive into what that era of their relationship looked like. There were many instances throughout the book where the characters said the exact same thing and there were a lot of repeating references and words. It is dual pov and I think that caused there to be a lot of inconsistencies in the timeline from one chapter to the next.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable read! The dual pov, the sharp contrasts between main characters and the way they compromise and become blended made this book interesting. The supporting characters added layers that I would love to see explored in other stories. What this story needed more of was Charlie the Ginger Menace. He certainly started out as a wonderful addition to the chaos, but as an orange cat he has so much more to offer.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Veronica Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a reserved military vet/surgeon has to share his space with a messy, full of life artist and her cat, both of their worlds change. Everything that Ethan has done to quiet his PTSD, the walls he’s built- are tested when his sisters best friend comes into his space in a loud way.

Willow and Ethan are exactly the puzzle pieces that were missing in each others lives. It’s a cute story full of banter and emotional moments and I’m a sucker for a Best Friends Brother story.

[Jeenal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great grumpy meets sunshine story! I was hooked from page one. The character development of both Willow and Ethan was well done. The lengths Ethan went for Willow, even if they were way out of his comfort, was very heartwarming. The supporting characters were well written as well. I really felt so many emotions reading this: sadness, happiness, anger, and surprise. Definitely recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy x · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im unsure if this was supposed to be chaotic due to the FMC being chaotic but i felt like I couldnt follow the story fully. There was bits that didn't follow on correctly, the relationship all seemed very rushed without much depth or build up between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this story down. Willow and Ethan had a hold of me from the moment I started reading. Opposites attract, grumpy to sunshine, gray to colorful. The story was well written and the characters just grab you and make you cheer for them. Such a fun cute small town romance that will have you wanting more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ohh I loved this one! I love me some grumpy MMC who slowly unravels and that’s exactly what this is!

Willow is a ball of chaotic colorful energy and Ethan is the grumpy straight edge MMC who completely falls head over heels for willow! Seeing him pour his heart out to her was everything!

Thank you to the author for giving me an arc of this book

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan and Willow were a lot if fun in this story. He’s quiet, she’s loud. He’s a surgeon, she paints. Take about complete opposites. She breaks all the rules and drives him insane. But the attraction is undeniable. I thought this was a lot of fun to read. It was great seeing the two of them come together.,

[Gabriella. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Read it all in one sitting. I really enjoyed the story line. I loved how it all came together and the how everything tied together at the end! The characters and the growth were 10/10!

Ps- This was ACR

[Britanee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute book and quick read! Personalities of Willow and Ethan is great !

[Manda Doorley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the combination of a cold sterile environment meeting utter chaos of color and energy. From the personalities to what shaped them and why opposites attract.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book . I like how Willow helped Ethan overcome everything and fall in love !!!! It was very touching and true to life!! I definitely recommend it … this was an ARC.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.