My Darling Neighbor

Feel the Beat #3

by Swati M.H.

I’m pregnant with my neighbor’s baby, but here’s the kicker . . . we can’t stand each other.

It all started when my bathroom sprang a leak, and I booked short-term lodging in his vacant apartment.

Turns out, it wasn’t available . . . or vacant.

One big misunderstanding later, and he’s practically throwing me out like yesterday’s trash.

He might think his half-ass apology, devilish smirk, and alluring hazel eyes will get him back in my good graces, but he’d be sorely mistaken. Because I, Sita Stewart, am allured by no man! Not even if he comes in the sexiest, most deliciously infuriating, six-foot-two package with a checkered bow tie.

But when the tension between us threatens to cause a category five hurricane, I decide to put it to bed once and for all. Literally, figuratively, metaphorically . . . you get the picture.

And when the storm finally settles, I’m left with a case of morning sickness and a craving for more.

More of him.

Because underneath all the layers of grouchiness is a broken man I fear I’m falling for. A man who says he wants me and our little bean sprout, too.

But right when Mr. P. Cooke gives me a glimpse of the life I’ve always wanted, his past comes tearing in like a tornado, ready to cause devastation.

The question is, can we survive it?

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Surprise Pregnancy, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Small Town Romance, Fiction

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2022

About the author

Swati MH is a Texas raised contemporary romance author living in the Bay Area with her very own book husband and two beautiful daughters. When she's not writing stories full of humor, heart, and heartbreak, she's likely thinking about doing so . . . preferably while holding a glass of wine.

FIND ME!!
Website→ http://www.swatimh.com/
Newsletter→https://bit.ly/SMH-Newsletter
Amazon→https://bit.ly/Swati-AMZ
Instagram→https://www.instagram.com/swati.mh
Reader Group→ https://bit.ly/SMH-Sweeties
Facebook→https://www.facebook.com/authorswatimh

Reviews

[CassDamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3✨

It started off really good, and then it was like the female mc just lost all her personality.

It was not really an “enemies to lovers” like it claims, he disliked her from afar bc of her resembling his dead wife, she was basically stalking him and then mad at him for about 4 pages lol so, no. Not enemies ever.

At the start she had witty banter and a sassy attitude but then suddenly with the male mc she was hit a helpless love struck girl even though he kept saying he “loved her sassy personality”. Didn’t make any sense.

Oh the plot twist at 83% terrible. Pointless, and ruined the entire story. Completely unneeded and should have been left out. Did not help the story at all, made no sense, and just didn’t belong there.

And idk maybe I’m just toxic, but I would’ve bolted when she realized he was trying to name her baby the same baby names he planned with his dead wife? Like are you kidding me?

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: ONS/accidental pregnancy
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Sita Stewart has been low-key stalking her sexy-ass neighbor for months and can't seem to get a bite. The really tall, super smart attorney knows she's not everyone's cup of sugar, but can't figure out what the grumpy alphahole's deal is. A horrific comedy of errors find the two of them snuggled up in the same bed and while Sita knows she's definitely on Penn's radar now, she still can't figure him out. When their smoking hot chemistry results in 2 little lines, they vow to work together, but with Penn's past rearing up, life's curveballs may be just too much for any of them to take.

Gah!!!!! This book is definitely on my upper threshold on the angstometer, lol, but it was WELL worth the hangover. Beautifully written, with absolutely wonderful characters who are relatable and with troubles that make you ache for them. Both their relationship journey as well as their individual journeys will completely give you ALL the feels. The writing in the story is fantastic! Fast paced with a twist that will make you mouth WHAAAAA?!?!? for at least 10 seconds, lol. This book literally had all the things that make good story telling, great! I cannot wait to see what's next for this author!

⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be considered spoilers

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an author I’ve been with since the beginning. With this book, it looks like she's leaped out of her comfort zone to flex her writing muscles, and I love the results! From letting a character in the first person POV occasionally speak directly to the reader, to a jaw-dropping twist at the end, it all served to make me love these endearing, relatable characters even more.

Sita Stewart is a strong, intelligent, confident woman, with a flaw that somehow feels like simply another facet to her personality and serves to make her even more authentic and loveable. Sita is a high-powered attorney who is also dealing with her remaining parent’s major health issue, so as much as she might like to get her aloof neighbor to acknowledge her, she really doesn’t have time for a relationship.

Penn seems like a grumpy, rude alphahole, but once the layers begin peeling back, we see a guy who has been devastated by life and is just trying to make it through each day. Sita Stewart disrupts his carefully crafted, protected, and safe life. Their first “official" meeting is a comedy of errors (there'll be more Shakespeare references), but once Sita gets Penn's attention, she has his full and complete attention. Until life throws the poor man another huge curveball.

One of my greatest pleasures as a reader is finding a new writer and watching her grow in her craft. Besides being a fantastic romance, Penn and Sita's story is rewarding because it reveals the author's boldness and willingness to take chances. We have plenty of easy, predictable romances, so when one steps outside the box, it really gets my attention.

Penn and Sita's story is sweet and sexy but heartbreaking, unpredictable, and so inspiring. Life is full of loss and obstacles, yet they manage to find their forever love in spite of, or maybe because of, the challenges they overcome. And really, isn’t that what we all hope for? Run to the 1-Click and start reading this beautiful, heartfelt, phenomenal story today. It will make your romantic heart blissfully happy.

[JLA · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC giveaway
This book was great. I can't believe this is the first book of the author that I've heard of. I will definitely be reading her other books.

This book was like a spicier contemporary fiction. So often smut books lack character development, plot, and quality writing. I loved that both characters were so complex and had so much history. I always though I wasn't a fan of praise, and possessiveness and dirty talk are to often so cheesy. This book has definitely changed my opinion of them. Penn is perfection!

The first chapter was a bit awkward, but mainly because I hate feeling embarrassed for people, but I'm glad I pushed passed it. I would say this is on the level of TL Swan's Miles High Club, but with a bit less heartbreak during the drama.

[Keza Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Entertaining, funny, sexy absolutely everything Stars.

After having plumbing issues and not "those" kind of plumbing issues in her apartment Sita needed to find alternative living arrangements for a few days. She happened to find her sexy Neighbors apartment up for rent that she "doesn't stalk" LOL

Things do not go as planned and it is highly entertaining FYI.

Penn is HOT... Extremely Hot. He set my pages on fire Hot.
I loved him Broken parts and everything.

Sita is amazing. She is strong she has fire and so confident. I wanna be her when I grow up! She has a quirky funny personality as well and she kind of reminded me of one my daughters. She can be so dramatic! 🤣
Sita ..."There’s no oxygen left. I’m going to asphyxiate. I had my whole life ahead of me still."

Penn...."What? Did you doubt me? You should know by now that I’m used to getting what I want."

My Darling Neighbor was fantastic. Penn and Sita would have to be almost my fave couple so far and I have LOVED the other books By this talented author.

I absolutely recommend reading My Darling Neighbor! ❤

[Natasha diary_of_a_sarcastic_bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay first let me say I am honoured to receive an ARC copy of this book, this is my full honest review.

From the first moment I picked up one of Swati’s books, I have been hook and obsessed with her style. I have said this before but how she manages to write such wittiness, that’s so meaningful, fun, emotional and tackles real raw issues - blows me away and has me in awe every time!

This is an enemies to lovers romance, the only difference is they aren’t enemies from the past or childhood crushes that turned to enemies. You literally get to see why they don’t like each other unfold. Though are they really enemies or are they both just misunderstood about each other and why these situations happen to them.

Our two leads are Penn and Sita, safe to say the chemistry is well heated from the beginning for one reason or another.

Penn is going through a different time at the moment, he just lost his father and doesn’t have an easy past. He shuts people out or doesn’t let them in at all. After losing his wife he has made it his mission to stay away from things or people who remind him of her, he is strict with it not allowing himself the luxury of what ifs… but what if that someone he is trying his hardest to ignore just so happens to live RIGHT NEXT DOOR! And well when gate has had enough with you not listening, it will have to up its game. Penn is the hot as hell grump, I can’t help but love. He has moments I want to shake him and throw my kindle out the window, but also moments that made me swoon and ‘aww’. My heart broke for him many times and I couldn’t help but understand they way he is unforgivably him.
Can he let himself open up again?
Has he been hurt too much?
Will the guilt forever affect his decisions?

Sita.. this girl may have made me swoon more than Penn- totally girl crushing on her! She is bad*rse, sassy as hell, takes no crap, still a bit goofy and perfectly flawed! Say to say I love her haha. She has her own demons, they are with her every day trying to take her in the wrong direction, lead her mind into a frenzy but this girl is strong and she won’t allow it.
She totally stalks her neighbour no matter how much she denies it, true if you had a hot AF stud next door wouldn’t we all be looking out the peephole 🥴🤣
With a high demanding career, a sick mother and a ray of not so much sunshine next door it’s no wonder she is stressed. Throw in a leak and a misunderstanding on top of all that.
Can she give open up to a man she can’t fully trust?
Will they ever be more than neighbours who bicker?

Okay sugar I know I really babbled but I can’t help myself. So I’ll leave you with this book has a bit of everything, twist you don’t expect, many emotions, sauciness and sass to the max.

Highly recommend

[justlarissareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sita can’t figure out why her neighbor Penn doesn’t seem the least bit interested in her & it’s driving her a bit crazy. What she doesn’t know is that Penn does notice everything about her & she reminds him of his past, so he tries to stay clear of her.

There’s been a water leak from her apartment and so Sita decides to book Penn’s apartment for the weekend while he’s away for a funeral. Distraught & tired from his weekend, he comes home late and crawls into bed, finding Sita is already there. He forgot that he had listed his apartment for that same weekend and this is where Sita and Penn’s story begins.

I just loved this entire book. While Sita is dealing with her mother’s progressing dementia, Penn is tormented with his past. Sita is such a strong and beautiful character that compliments Penn’s tortured and grumpy soul perfectly. They are supportive of each other when it’s needed most, becoming perfect together. Their story is filled with heartache, surprises, angst, passion and love. I could not put this book down! You don’t want to miss out on this one!

ARC REVIEW

5/5⭐️
3.5/5🌶

[Melluvsbooks]

From reviews: h looks just like beloved sainted dead wife - he wants to name their baby using names he chose with beloved wife. 🥴😳 — and there’s a ridiculous plot twist where he ends up getting to have a child with the barren dead wife after all. 👀😐

Yay.


Not for me.

[T Rojo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was weird? Started off very slow creating back stories for both characters all for it to have no bearing on anything at all! Sita is a celebrity lawyer with ocd, adopted Indian daughter to white parents- her father died 10 years ago and her mom is in decline due to Alzheimer’s. Penn is emotionally unavailable due to his wife’s passing 10 years ago in a car accident- they tried for many years to conceive and she could never have a child. Penn is a dick to sita because she bares a resemblance to dead wife- randomly sita needs a place to stay because of an emergency and work needing to be done in her apartment so she finds her neighbors (penn) apt listed on air bnb. He forgot he listed the apartment and comes home from his fathers funeral to find her in his bed. They hate eachother but can’t stay away from one another. They finally bang and somehow or another she becomes pregnant everyone is so happy they immediately fall in love. With very very subtle clues penn is able to deduce that she’s pregnant before she even tells him 🙄 about 70% into the story penn finds out his dead wife forged his signature to allow her sister to surrogate their child and after 6 years he finds out he has a daughter who he knew was his with one glance even though he never had sex with his sister in law?! Huh?! Sita doesn’t gaf about new found daughter and the mom/sister even though she’s a lawyer and what they did was highly illegal 🙄 book basically ends when sita is 14 wks pregnant and they find out it’s a girl. Epilogue at their wedding where everything is perfect and no one cares about anything. Blah.meh.
I really liked the way book started and the character building but it just got too unbelievable as it went on.

[Kelchickbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about neighbourly love, Sita and Penn hate to love each other. My Darling Neighbor is a strangers to lovers romance full of angst, banter, laughs and twists. Swati outdoes herself with this one. She grabbed my attention right from the start with Sati stalking her neighbour because he looks like a goddess but then she talks about how arrogant he is and playboy. You can't do anything but laugh at her. My Darling Neighbor is well written and such a joy to read that before you know it you are at the end and you are upset because you want to read more.

Sita is a feisty woman that will tell you like it is. She does struggle with anxiety because of her past but she has learned to grab them by the horns and control them instead of them controlling her. She has tried to meet her neighbour, Penn, Mr.P. Cooke, but he ignores her, seems to try to avoid her and when she left bake goods there was no thank you. How will she get him to notice her? Well, things go from stalking to actually having to talk because she rents his apartment for a short term because her plumbing leaked. Her night is anything but exciting when Mr. P.. Cooke returns drunk and is a complete a$$ to her. And there is proof that he is an arrogant jerk, but is he? Will she let him explain why he acted the way he was? Is there a reason that he keeps treating her the way he is? When he tries to apologize, will she accept it and give him a chance? Funny how the tides have turned between the two of them. Well, Sita gives him a chance and the sparks that are there ignite into a full-blown out-of-control fire. Sita gets the surprise of her life but will it be welcomed by Penn?

Penn has had a hard time and his past is not one of happiness and joy. He lost so much and it has folded him to be the way he is. There is a reason that he avoids Sita and the reason is heartbreaking. He also just lost his father and is taking it hard and that is when he gets into his empty bed, or so he thinks. When he finds Sita he does not handle it well and that is because she reminds him so much of someone from his past. He finally realizes that he is attracted to her and he cannot fight it anymore, so he takes a leap of faith. Will he get her to listen and understand why he acted like an a$$? When things get heated and I mean on a scale of 1-10 it is a 15, all their worries and secrets come out. Penn finally sees that Sita is it for him and takes her to meet his family, his life is turned upside down? Will the secret that he finds out about shatter what he and Sita have built? Can he get over the betrayal and hurt that has him not sure what to do? Had he lost the woman that he loves with his whole being? How much will he have to work to get her back?

Swati had me feeling all warm and fuzzy reading Sita and Penn's story until she through the twist of all twists in. My stomach turned, my jaw dropped and yes I gasped. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Were they going to survive the news Penn received? I am still thinking about this story days after which proves how well this story was written. I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR list as well as Swati M.H. to your author TBR list.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Sita might be a tad fascinated with her gorgeous, grumpy neighbor who looks through her as if she doesn't exist. She might once in awhile stalk him from her apartment. She might be wondering why she can't get a reaction out of him. Then a mixup means she accidentally books his apartment for a few days, and boy does he end up behaving exactly the way she had figured he would - like a jackass. Will she let him apologize? And when he does, will he finally admit how he really feels about her, admit to the attraction they both feel?



Penn has his reasons for the way he treats Sita. Heartbreaking reasons, and he's been struggling because of those reasons. As he gets involved with Sita, he has to decide if he can somehow get past the damage they've done to him, and be happy with his beautiful bumblebee.



Sita's a badass, quirky, amazing heroine - the kind of heroine I love best, the kind I wish all fiction writers would include in their writing. She was just so strong and smart and funny, with her own set of anxieties, which made her even more lovable. Her chemistry with Penn was hot, the angst was high, and the snark was fun. Penn was not my favorite in the beginning, but once his layers were peeled back and his backstory revealed, I figured out why Sita fell so hard for him. I loved this enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy romance, another wonderful story in this excellent series.



ARC provided by Give Me Books Promotions for an honest review.

Review / Release Blitz: Live Through Books Blog.

Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub

[Katslovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had so much character and personality that once I started reading I couldn't stop. The characters, the plot and the twist at the end were just simply amazing.

When I first read the blurb I thought this book was going to be a sweet surprise pregnancy romance but it is so much more than that. Don't get me wrong I think the story was funny, entertaining and very romantic but it also deals with very hard topics (which Swati handle so well). When you learn Sita and Penn's back story you'll get what I'm saying.

Sita was a total bad a$s in this story (girl power all the way!). She was a strong, independent and the best caring person to the people in her circle. Even when her darling neighbor made a mess of things for her, she never look down. She is a fighter that doesn't give up. I simply love her.

Now Penn or Mr. P. Cooke wasn't in my good radar right away. But after learning about his past I couldn't not feel for him. That man had just too many bad things happen to him that made him built a shell over his heart until the sexy neighbor with all her pointy fingers and extravagant food combinations made him realise that life has still too much to offer.

Now the twist that Swati throws almost at the end, I never saw coming. It was shocking, nerve wrecking and so unexpected. - no spoilers in my part but prepare yourself lol.

I so recommend this book, the story will hooked you from beginning to end.

[Kasey Westcott-Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sita! I loved the other two books in this series also and think that all the characters are just so wonderfully relatable. They have their flaws that just make them so much more endearing! I liked the way that heavy topics were handled with grace. Seriously read this book. Also spice was on point.

[bookspaced · Rating 5 out of 5]

My darling neighbor is an all new enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy romance novel by Swati M.H. If you know me you know I live for these tropes so obviously I just had to read this book and I assure you! This book is nothing like you‘ve ever read!

Swati‘s writing and story telling gets better and bolder with each book she writes and you can clearly see it with Sita and Penn‘s story!

Sita is a serious bad a$$! She‘s amazing in every way and her confidence is what I really want! Penn has been through alot in the past but when Sita enters his life he‘s forced to come to terms with what he really wants.. Her.

I recommend this book to everyone! You will not regret it even if it is a little bit different then others and there is more vulnerability for both characters!

5⭐️

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh goodness. Where do I start? Sita is amazing. She takes her struggles and molds them to bend under her control. She's strong, feisty, and sometimes quirky. Penn is so swoony. His humor, his swagger, definitely gives Sita a run for her money. His brand of sexiness makes Sita's attitude light like a fuse. This combo makes for one huge inferno if chemistry.

[Kara M · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC giveaway; My Darling Neighbor is not the plot line I anticipated when I started reading but it completely exceeded my expectations. The character development is solid and easy to track. I appreciate the author’s willingness to explore and synthesize real-life complexities of personal development, how relationships ebb-and-flow and the realities of how unexpected tragedies impact one’s future. I already downloaded the bonus epilogue and truly hope a full sequel is released!

[Madelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really loving this book in the first half. But that love quickly dwindled once the main characters got together. This couple is the one that everybody hates because they’re always calling each other cringe pet names, baby talking each other, and “fall deeply in love” even though they’ve known each other for like a week. That’s the vibe I got.

I also thought it was super creepy that the MMC thought that the FMC looked a lot like his DEAD WIFE. Like seriously, you can’t tell me that’s not weird.

And everything devolved into some telenovela level bullsh*t when we figure out that MMC’s dead wife used her sister as a surrogate for the baby she couldn’t have (bc of PCOS) by forging MMC signature on the surrogacy paperwork. And that the sister was raising the child on her own, but hadn’t told the MMC. When we meet this child, she is literally 5 years old. That sh*ts a little ridiculous to throw in at 83%.

My last complaint (I’ve got so many more but no energy to type them up) is the way the FMC was so in love with the MMC for doing the bare minimum. Like he asked her if she was okay during sex because he pushed into her too fast, and she was all “oh my gosh you’re such a good guy for asking if I was okay after inflicting pain on me”. Like for real… that is literally the bare minimum.

I think I could have dealt with all that, if it wasn’t for the personality shift once the MCs got together. They hated each other for the first half, and then as soon as they got together they were all lovey-dovey and all the previous banter was completely gone. It just totally turned me off the characters.

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

✅Please note I beta read this book! And enjoyed every single moment of it.

What to do when your gorgeous infuriating neighbor is ignoring you, well obviously you peak through your door, blinds, to watch him.

What to do when a gorgeous, leggy, boss woman is your neighbor, you ignore her because all you want to do is taste her! But it may break your heart, or can it ? when you already feel so broken.

“Why do you avoid me?”
“Because I can’t handle another scar.”

Penn, I thought to myself, damn Swati, you wrote an asshole! I mean sure your other heroes sometimes I wanted to slap them. (never Wayland though! Aha) but this guy! He had some nerve. But when she, Sita, makes her presence known, he has no other choice to finally admit to himself that he NEVER not saw her. He has to work for it!

Its funny, heartbreaking, out of all the books the sex scenes were up a notch 🥵Penn’s mouth, shit he made up for his buttheaded ways. I fell so hard for him. Guilt, eats him up. He buried himself a long time ago along with his past. 😭

Sita, I adore you. Legs and brains. Seen as the “too much girl” and yet Penn never wanted her to be anything less. He was a big enough man to cherish her. 👑

Their pasts made me smile of how close they are with their families. The same loyalty is shared between them, a connection of loss and love. It tackles vulnerability and anxiety.

I think this book was remarkably refreshing and relatable. Sometimes, it being so relatable can be so difficult but it’s so rewarding! 🙌

Yes, its much more than a surprise pregnancy, so much of this story is sexy and full of hope. Two people holding on to one another. Two people who matter so much to one another.

Get ready for a plot twist!

Quotes :
“A fantasy I wish I’d never laid eyes on because now all I want to do is fucking dream all day.”

“First I’m going to make you come on my face and then you’re going to come when my dick is buried deep inside you. Got that?”

“Fucking kiss me, Sita.”

His bow tie drove me wild too!

[Lipika · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! Let me start by thanking Swati for including me in her ARC group for this book. Its an honour and I am so grateful for it. This is the 3rd book of the ‘Feel the Beat’ series. Ever since I read the first two - ‘My Perfect Remix’ and ‘My Beautiful Chaos’, I was dying to read about Sita and mysterious Penn 😊. Before I talk about this 3rd book, if you havent read the first 2, please read them. I have already read them twice. Yes, they are so good!

‘My Darling Neighbour’ is enemy to lovers romance mixed with surprise pregnancy. Sita is independent, strong woman. She is an attorney living her life with her friends and taking care of her mom. Penn is grumpy, pensive and aloof guy dealing with issues of his own. Their first meeting was hilarious. It reminded me of Plays and movies of mistaken identity. First meeting turns into another and life throws a twist which keeps bringing these people together (in a good way😊)

Now this books deals with some serious issues - mental health, surprise pregnancy, guilty conscience, etc. I am surprised with the way the author has dealt with them. She has done it so beautifully that you relate with the characters and their emotions. Think of an onion and peeling those layers one by one. That is what Sita and Penn do for each other in terms of their emotions. Penn brings out the vulnerable side of Sita where she wants to be loved, a shoulder which she can lean upon. Sita brings out the emotions that Penn is trying to keep locked in and to face those emotions. Both help each other to face the ugly truth life has thrown them and to move on. The chemistry, the angst compliments perfectly the sweet and vulnerable side of the story.

To summarise, this book is about love, this book is about laughter and tears… this book is about life!!! Read it!

Thank you Swati… you’re amazing! Keep writing, keep soaring!!!

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had my heart from the moment I saw this hot guy during the cover reveal

And the blurb just added to my excitement of reading the book

Sita, the hotshot lawyer secretly admires her sexy neighbor Penn but the elusive Penn or Mr P. Cooke ignores her like she's non existent

A misunderstanding one night, brings them together and sparks fly... while both live in denial of their attraction, their banter continues with the cat and mouse chase till they both give in to the temptation... Next thing we know there's a baby on the way but Sita doesn't want Penn to accept her just for the baby... What happens next is for you to read coz the story hereon only gets more exciting with mind blowing, passionate chemistry and a few unexpected surprises thrown in

The way Penn handles Sita's mom, the way he takes care of Sita, inspite his own grief and pain makes you fall in love with him a little more each time. And Sita is one smart, independent and sassy babe who brings in the much needed sunshine in Penns gloomy life.

Once again, Swati proves why she is on my list of top authors -a story which is cute, sweet, entertaining, emotional, happy, sad and different with some important issues highlighted and handled with care

[Garry Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

was worried when I found out that this beautifully written novel has one of my least favorite tropes, but leave it to Swati to not only make me enjoy ‘My Darling Neighbor’ but also love it to the point that it’s stuck in my mind days after I’d finished it.

This is unlike any of Swati’s book (I’ve read them ALL and they’re all amazing). It’s laugh out loud funny and blazing hot!

Sita is a BOSS! and she knows it. She makes things happen even if it means relying on her stalker skills. Then there’s the grumpiest man I’ve ever read, Penn. A very interesting man but as each layer of this complicated hero is revealed, the more we understand why he kept everyone around him at arms length and his transformation is remarkable. Opposites really do attract each other and when it did, they were inseparable.

This gem of a book proves what I’ve always know about Swati. She’s an amazing storyteller and very versatile.

And that ending!!!

If Swati is not in your radar, she should be. READ THIS and you will not be disappointed. This is now my favorite Swati book.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew the moment I read the blurb about My Darling Neighbor that I wanted to read it, but what I got exceeded all my expectations to be honest as it was a FANTASTIC READ! Sita is my favorite type of heroine, strong but with flaws that only make me love her more. All the comedy of errors that ensued when she met her neighbor, Penn, had me rolling in laughter LOL! He's not necessarily the nicest though, but there are reasons which made it all understandable. They finally sexy time it out, and now things really hit their stride as there are two lines on a stick. I LOVED this story so much with the emotional rollercoaster of life making it feel super realistic, and that made it even easier to cheer these two on as maybe just maybe they are just what the doctor ordered for the other. DO NOT pass on this story or you will rob yourself of an experience that everyone needs in their lives! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Jen Lauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this ARC in a giveaway.
This is the first book I've read by Swati M.H. but it definitely won't be my last! I loved everything about it! It was very detailed and so much more than I expected!

Sita is a take no prisoners, tell it like it is kinda person and I love her! She's a fighter; she battles her neurosis and she fights for her and Penn when a difficult situation arises instead of running away from it. She's a bit quirky in her food and tea choices tho. 😅

Penn is fine, fine, fine!! He's a bit of an a$$ at first but not for too long. He has some major demons that's for sure. I don't think anyone but Sita could've helped him go from grumpy to darling. He did lose himself for a minute when the drama happened. Completely acceptable given the circumstances but the author didn't draw it out forever which I really liked.

Their chemistry was combustible! The smexy times were 🔥🥵🔥! They're also sweet at times too so if you're looking for a combo, you'll find here!

All and all, it's definitely a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read with ALL THE FEELS! I can't wait to read it again! After I go back and read Jeena's and Anisa's books, of course.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I initially started reading this book, I was not expecting it to be a 5⭐️ read for me. But dang, Penn and Sita owned me. The more I got to know both of them and their backstory, the more I fall in love with their characters and story. I now understood why they are the way they were. I loved how Penn realised he was in the wrong and he work to right it and I loved Sita even more for making him really work for it. And that twists towards the end? Definitely not what you'd expect.

[Jerrica (Mrsmar10Reads) Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Favorite Coupling!

I’ve read this book completely now twice and I love it more every time I read it. I always knew that Sita would be a force to be reckoned with, but the unexpected part was her vulnerable side. Oh and Mr. P. Cooke, her darlings neighbor, turned a-hole, turned back to darling neighbor and more. This man was so broken and running on fumes until he got a whiff of that tantalizing citrusy scent that called to him like a Siren…🤩 Mr. Bow Tie Killer himself had some major issues, but even with Sita’s neighborly stalking he still wanted her as bad as she craved those eyes and that chiseled jaw. When these two finally do get over themselves, their miscommunications, and avoidance the temperature turns all the way up.

Swati wows me with every book. I was all for this book because it was minimal drama between our main characters. The conflict within the book mostly had to do with outside, unforeseen forces. I loved that once our characters were together, they were a team, they made decisions, they talked and supported each other. I’m just going to say, I’ll probably be reading it once again. If you haven’t read any of the Feel the Beat series run and read those books…you won’t be disappointed in them or this one.

[Kerri Bonvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC to read and review by the author.
Holy Toledo Batman!!! This book was amazing! I couldn’t put it down. Fate works hard in this book. A grumpy, brooding, broken hero and a smart as whip attorney and neighbor with a resting b*tch face that could stop time heroine, find their way to each other in the most unconventional way. HERE FOR IT! I truly loved Penn’s grumpy and standoffish attitude. Especially, when we find out why. Sita, his put together neighbor reminds him of a time he has been trying to forget for 6 years. Sita is a strong woman until she is in the presence of Penn and then she can’t even form a sentence. (Been there, done that.) The twists and turns are real, raw and intense. The turn the book reveals is jaw dropping but I loved it. It isn’t your typical twist for a romance. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I could empathize with all the characters. I don’t know that I would be that strong in reality but I love that Sita is. I love how Penn deals with everything he is dealt. I really did love this story. Swati brought the harsh reality of life to us with a happily ever after ending.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book with Swati M.H., and what a delight. I enjoyed the multicultural aspect of this book, and I learned some new things! I loved Sita's character and her idiosyncratic nuances, AKA Stalkerish issues. When she gets to officially meet Mr.P Cooke (Penn) the sparks fly, especially when there is a miscommunication, and eventually Sita becomes pregnant. This book is got great side characters, that leave you laughing, and some tears, and you become very involved with all of them. A definite page turner till the very end. I was given this book for an honest review.

[Candy Habin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sita is a sassy, strong, confident, and independent woman, but also quirky and vulnerable. She's hilarious and exactly what you would want in a bff. Penn is going through so much and is battling his past, which makes him grumpy and rude, and hard to like at first. Once we get more of his back story and see the way he goes all in you can't help but fall for him too. Their story is filled with everything you want in a love story. It's heart warming and emotional, sweet at times but oh so steamy, and plenty of laugh out loud moments!

[Imari McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Arc copy of this book and I am doing this review voluntarily.

This was my first read by this author.
I loved Sita she reminded me so much of my daughter. We have her count down as well when she get nervous.

This book bstarted off so emotional as someone who struggled with pregnancies I really felt for Penn. It was so hard reading those few scenes.

But then seeing how he ends up getting his hea with the neighbor he tried his hardest to ignore. But holy cow you could feel the heat from those too.
I hope there's more books in this series.

[Chelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my absolute fave by Swati so far 😍 I though Wayland was hot in book 2, but WOW 🥰 Penn is my kinda guy! Sita definitely brings the fiesty banter between her and Penn (who she's stalking 😂) and he's the typical A**hole who you think just sleeps about, until you realise what went on his past. And i so did NOT see that surprise coming 😲 Literally read this book in less than 24 hours, i couldnt put it down 😍