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With Neighbors Like This
A hopeful single mom moves to the Houston suburbs to start anew, only to find a new adversary in the HOA.
Amelia Marsh relocates with her two young kids to a northern suburb of Houston after a brutal divorce. All she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. The last thing she needs is to be the center of a disagreement with the HOA representative. Believe it or not, her children's garden gnome is accused of violating the association's rules. No way is Amelia backing down on this one. Gnomegate? Really? HOA President Kyle Sanders would be a good friend—or even something more—if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community…
"An excellent read and a surefire hit for those looking to beat the heat this summer." —Library Journal
Amelia Marsh relocates with her two young kids to a northern suburb of Houston after a brutal divorce. All she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. The last thing she needs is to be the center of a disagreement with the HOA representative. Believe it or not, her children's garden gnome is accused of violating the association's rules. No way is Amelia backing down on this one. Gnomegate? Really? HOA President Kyle Sanders would be a good friend—or even something more—if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community…
"An excellent read and a surefire hit for those looking to beat the heat this summer." —Library Journal
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
57 people are currently reading
6117 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Goodwin
15 books602 followersTracy Goodwin is the USA Today bestselling author of steamy hockey romances and captivating romantic comedies. In addition, she pens sweeping historical romances, uplifting MomComs, and vivid urban fantasies. Though the genres may be different, each story delivers her unique blend of passion, poignant emotion, humor, and unforgettable characters that steal readers’ hearts.
A New Yorker who now calls Houston home, Tracy is the mom of two, a wife, and the wrangler of two dogs, two cats, and lots of chaos. She also loves music and sings carpool karaoke (even when alone).
To receive the latest news and information about upcoming releases please go to her website www.tracygoodwin.com where you can sign up for her newsletter or follow her on Bookbub and/or social media by clicking the icons.
A New Yorker who now calls Houston home, Tracy is the mom of two, a wife, and the wrangler of two dogs, two cats, and lots of chaos. She also loves music and sings carpool karaoke (even when alone).
To receive the latest news and information about upcoming releases please go to her website www.tracygoodwin.com where you can sign up for her newsletter or follow her on Bookbub and/or social media by clicking the icons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
September 26, 2022
Suffering from thriller burnout, I have been trying some new genres!! This rom-com didn’t work for me – it may be partly because of the voice of the narrator which was OTT and sounded cheesy to me!!
Amelia and her two young children have just moved back to Houston after her husband cheated on her and the divorce has finalized (nothing new here).
Houston is home base for Amelia as her parents and numerous friends live there. However her subdivision is a new one and she hasn’t had much chance to meet the neighbors, etc.
Her first encounter with neighbors – an Easter egg hunt organized by the community, helps her meet some nice people. This is also the funniest part of the book which includes an Easter bunny with his foot stuck in a mop/bucket!! I laughed at this part!
However, just when she is feeling that all may go well, Carla, the HOA representative tells her that her garden gnome is not allowed according to the by-laws. This isn’t just any gnome, it’s one that her children painted for her and she promised them that it would be placed in the front yard of their new home.
It’s the forthcoming “gnome war” which propels this story forward. She has help from her friends and finds that the President of the HOA, Kyle Sanders, is no fan of Carla. In fact most of the residents have had to deal with her snarky letters, mean and nasty comments and spying around to find violations, etc to be insufferable.
PROS:
I admired Amelia for realizing that sometimes the little wars do matter, especially when your children have been abandoned by their father and they have just moved, changed schools etc.
I liked the relationship between Amelia and Kyle, both of them gun-shy from prior relationships. Kyle seriously enjoys playing with the kids and seems an all around good guy
Carla will finally meet her match, and it may be time for her to move on and annoy another subdivision.
CONS:
While Amelia works from home, she seems to have an inordinate amount of time to invest in her “gnome war”.
There is definitely an OTT feel to the way in which Amelia handles this by-law infraction, I kept thinking, why not just move the gnome to the backyard?
The narrator’s voice definitely was annoying. It was nasal and didn’t show much change in emotion.
If mommy rom-com is your thing then you may enjoy this one. I would recommend reading this one instead of listening to it.
Thanks to my local library and Hoopla for my copy of the audiobook.
Amelia and her two young children have just moved back to Houston after her husband cheated on her and the divorce has finalized (nothing new here).
Houston is home base for Amelia as her parents and numerous friends live there. However her subdivision is a new one and she hasn’t had much chance to meet the neighbors, etc.
Her first encounter with neighbors – an Easter egg hunt organized by the community, helps her meet some nice people. This is also the funniest part of the book which includes an Easter bunny with his foot stuck in a mop/bucket!! I laughed at this part!
However, just when she is feeling that all may go well, Carla, the HOA representative tells her that her garden gnome is not allowed according to the by-laws. This isn’t just any gnome, it’s one that her children painted for her and she promised them that it would be placed in the front yard of their new home.
It’s the forthcoming “gnome war” which propels this story forward. She has help from her friends and finds that the President of the HOA, Kyle Sanders, is no fan of Carla. In fact most of the residents have had to deal with her snarky letters, mean and nasty comments and spying around to find violations, etc to be insufferable.
PROS:
I admired Amelia for realizing that sometimes the little wars do matter, especially when your children have been abandoned by their father and they have just moved, changed schools etc.
I liked the relationship between Amelia and Kyle, both of them gun-shy from prior relationships. Kyle seriously enjoys playing with the kids and seems an all around good guy
Carla will finally meet her match, and it may be time for her to move on and annoy another subdivision.
CONS:
While Amelia works from home, she seems to have an inordinate amount of time to invest in her “gnome war”.
There is definitely an OTT feel to the way in which Amelia handles this by-law infraction, I kept thinking, why not just move the gnome to the backyard?
The narrator’s voice definitely was annoying. It was nasal and didn’t show much change in emotion.
If mommy rom-com is your thing then you may enjoy this one. I would recommend reading this one instead of listening to it.
Thanks to my local library and Hoopla for my copy of the audiobook.
August 5, 2022
This is a Romance. I loved this book so much. I found this book funny at times, cute at times, hard hitting at times, and just a great read with great characters. Amelia is a newly divorced single mom that is trying to move on after her ex-husband cheated on her. Kyle is a good guy that is the HOA President that has also been burned in the past. This is just everything I wanted, and I loved seeing both these characters moving on and getting stronger. This is a fun read, but this is not a cute sweet romance book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Sourcebooks Casablanca) or author (Tracy Goodwin) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
August 9, 2022
It started with a gnome!
Amelia Marsh and her two children have relocated to a suburb of Houston hoping for a fresh start. After her divorce, she wants a nice home, good schools, and a welcoming community for herself and her children. But when her children's garden gnome violates the HOA rules, things get interesting!
Kyle Sanders is the HOA president who must uphold the rules while finding that he enjoys spending time with the Amelia and her children.
It's all about the journey folks with romance books and this was a cute, funny, endearing, and charming book. This book also touches on some difficult issues such as parenting, divorce, starting over and has an absentee parent.
I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself making time to listen to this as I adored both the story and the narration.
Fun, charming and endearing.
#WithNeighborsLikeThis #NetGalley
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Amelia Marsh and her two children have relocated to a suburb of Houston hoping for a fresh start. After her divorce, she wants a nice home, good schools, and a welcoming community for herself and her children. But when her children's garden gnome violates the HOA rules, things get interesting!
Kyle Sanders is the HOA president who must uphold the rules while finding that he enjoys spending time with the Amelia and her children.
It's all about the journey folks with romance books and this was a cute, funny, endearing, and charming book. This book also touches on some difficult issues such as parenting, divorce, starting over and has an absentee parent.
I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself making time to listen to this as I adored both the story and the narration.
Fun, charming and endearing.
#WithNeighborsLikeThis #NetGalley
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 2, 2022
With Neighbors Like This by Tracy Goodwin
Contemporary romance. Present active tense.
Amelia moves into a new home with her children after her divorce. A garden gnome causes an issue with the bylaws but Amelia has the support of her neighbors, including the Association President.
Family and housing community issues plus a slow burn romance makes this drama pleasingly sweet. Chloe and Jacob have a fantastic sibling friendship while Amelia works hard at being a good mother. I loved the tickle romps.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Contemporary romance. Present active tense.
Amelia moves into a new home with her children after her divorce. A garden gnome causes an issue with the bylaws but Amelia has the support of her neighbors, including the Association President.
Family and housing community issues plus a slow burn romance makes this drama pleasingly sweet. Chloe and Jacob have a fantastic sibling friendship while Amelia works hard at being a good mother. I loved the tickle romps.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
April 17, 2023
3.25⭐
Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV, single mom, cheating ex-husband, absentee father
NOT enemies to lovers as it states in the blurb ~ not sure why it says that at all, did I take a snooze while I was reading?
Oh the joys of living in a community with a HOA.
Amelia is trying to start over with her 2 children after her divorce. She moves into a neighborhood and right off the bat she has an enemy in Carla, (they don't get together so that's not the enemy part). Carla has a problem with the gnome in their front yard ~ the gnome that she promised her kids she'd display as a way to ease into their new life. Now Amelia has a fight on her hands ~ can she convince the HOA to change the by-laws?
HOA president, Kyle, is easy on the eyes and trying to keep the peace in the hood. He was never interested in being around children, but can't help but befriend Amelia, Jacob and Chloe. An attraction is there, but can they make this work?
Overall, I wasn't wowed, but I did like that Amelia was such a great mom. There were some really heartfelt moments between them and she said all the right things.
I didn't really care for any of the characters, Amelia's friends and her next door neighbor were okay, but Carla was just awful.
I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.
Narrated by Eva Wilhelm for 8 hours and 34 minutes. I was not overly in love with her narration, she sounded robotic at times. I really wish there was a male narrator.
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the ARC and the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV, single mom, cheating ex-husband, absentee father
NOT enemies to lovers as it states in the blurb ~ not sure why it says that at all, did I take a snooze while I was reading?
Oh the joys of living in a community with a HOA.
Amelia is trying to start over with her 2 children after her divorce. She moves into a neighborhood and right off the bat she has an enemy in Carla, (they don't get together so that's not the enemy part). Carla has a problem with the gnome in their front yard ~ the gnome that she promised her kids she'd display as a way to ease into their new life. Now Amelia has a fight on her hands ~ can she convince the HOA to change the by-laws?
HOA president, Kyle, is easy on the eyes and trying to keep the peace in the hood. He was never interested in being around children, but can't help but befriend Amelia, Jacob and Chloe. An attraction is there, but can they make this work?
Overall, I wasn't wowed, but I did like that Amelia was such a great mom. There were some really heartfelt moments between them and she said all the right things.
I didn't really care for any of the characters, Amelia's friends and her next door neighbor were okay, but Carla was just awful.
I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.
Narrated by Eva Wilhelm for 8 hours and 34 minutes. I was not overly in love with her narration, she sounded robotic at times. I really wish there was a male narrator.
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the ARC and the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
July 17, 2022
With Neighbors Like this is the perfect “mom-com” (mommy fiction or women’s fiction)! I loved it so much that I devoured it in one sitting. The characters are phenomenal, and readers everywhere can connect with Amelia as she depicts motherhood remarkably! And the way she handles her issues and connects with her kids is really sweet. I just adored her to pieces! I love a story like this because its realistic, relatable, and truly down to earth. We all face problems and being able to say “yup, I know what she’s going through” makes it so easy to fall into the story and feel like you’re right alongside the characters. Tracy Goodwin really hit this one out of the park.
If you’re a fan of “mommy-fiction” (if that’s not a thing them I’m making it one LOL) with a dash of romance and characters that will do ANYTHING for their children (including going against an HOA- the main plot of this story) then this one if for you! It’s a sweet read and I am hoping that Amelia’s two best friends will have their own stories. I just love how Tracy wrote this one!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Women’s Fiction/Moms Fiction
• Family Dramas/Stories
• Relatable books and characters you connect with
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you’re a fan of “mommy-fiction” (if that’s not a thing them I’m making it one LOL) with a dash of romance and characters that will do ANYTHING for their children (including going against an HOA- the main plot of this story) then this one if for you! It’s a sweet read and I am hoping that Amelia’s two best friends will have their own stories. I just love how Tracy wrote this one!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Women’s Fiction/Moms Fiction
• Family Dramas/Stories
• Relatable books and characters you connect with
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 17, 2023
3.25⭐
Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV, single mom, cheating ex-husband, absentee father
NOT enemies to lovers as it states in the blurb ~ not sure why it says that at all, did I take a snooze while I was reading?
Oh the joys of living in a community with a HOA.
Amelia is trying to start over with her 2 children after her divorce. She moves into a neighborhood and right off the bat she has an enemy in Carla, (they don't get together so that's not the enemy part). Carla has a problem with the gnome in their front yard ~ the gnome that she promised her kids she'd display as a way to ease into their new life. Now Amelia has a fight on her hands ~ can she convince the HOA to change the by-laws?
HOA president, Kyle, is easy on the eyes and trying to keep the peace in the hood. He was never interested in being around children, but can't help but befriend Amelia, Jacob and Chloe. An attraction is there, but can they make this work?
Overall, I wasn't wowed, but I did like that Amelia was such a great mom. There were some really heartfelt moments between them and she said all the right things.
I didn't really care for any of the characters, Amelia's friends and her next door neighbor were okay, but Carla was just awful.
I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.
Narrated by Eva Wilhelm for 8 hours and 34 minutes. I was not overly in love with her narration, she sounded robotic at times. I really wish there was a male narrator.
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the ARC and the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
Featuring ~ dual 3rd person POV, single mom, cheating ex-husband, absentee father
NOT enemies to lovers as it states in the blurb ~ not sure why it says that at all, did I take a snooze while I was reading?
Oh the joys of living in a community with a HOA.
Amelia is trying to start over with her 2 children after her divorce. She moves into a neighborhood and right off the bat she has an enemy in Carla, (they don't get together so that's not the enemy part). Carla has a problem with the gnome in their front yard ~ the gnome that she promised her kids she'd display as a way to ease into their new life. Now Amelia has a fight on her hands ~ can she convince the HOA to change the by-laws?
HOA president, Kyle, is easy on the eyes and trying to keep the peace in the hood. He was never interested in being around children, but can't help but befriend Amelia, Jacob and Chloe. An attraction is there, but can they make this work?
Overall, I wasn't wowed, but I did like that Amelia was such a great mom. There were some really heartfelt moments between them and she said all the right things.
I didn't really care for any of the characters, Amelia's friends and her next door neighbor were okay, but Carla was just awful.
I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.
Narrated by Eva Wilhelm for 8 hours and 34 minutes. I was not overly in love with her narration, she sounded robotic at times. I really wish there was a male narrator.
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the ARC and the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
August 20, 2022
Amelia Marsh is recently divorced and moved to a suburb of Houston with her two young children. She brought along a garden gnome her children decorated for her, putting it in her front yard. But when she receives a letter from the HOA manager declaring the gnome a violation, she realizes that she’s going to have to take on the HOA. She meets Kyle, the president of the HOA, who is unfortunately just as kind as he is handsome. As she battles against the HOA, she wonders if Kyle may just be the answer to all of her problems.
Amelia was a funny and relatable single mom, with reasonable and relatable self-doubt balanced well with confidence and the ability to get things done. However, she was a bit too perfect (meaning she was absolutely perfect, could do everything above and beyond to an unreasonable degree). I loved the way that Chloe and Jacob’s sibling relationship was portrayed – it was cute realistic and made them feel alive. Kyle was a little less well-rounded; the story is told partially from his POV, and there’s no real conflict or tension with his character – he’s perfect, kind, empathetic, and everyone breaks up with him even though he’s always 100% in for his relationships. This made him boring, unfortunately. Many of the characters felt more like caricatures than real people (Carla especially), which detracted from the story.
There were a few things I disliked about this work. The reader is told over and over about how much Amelia loves her kids, then we get to listen to her tell her friends how much she loves her kids, then the same conversation with Kyle, then again in her inner dialogue. Over. And. Over. The work began with a focus on the HOA tensions with Carla, but it quickly took the backseat to the barely-there romance; I think the story would have been much more engaging if there was more conflict with the HOA included. The work honestly felt like it was about 50 to 75 pages longer than necessary.
This was an easy-to-read slow-burn romance (definitely not enemies-to-lovers though, just a heads up). I listened to the audiobook version and think the narrator did a great job with the story. It was a fine read, but I didn’t find it to be very engaging unfortunately. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Amelia was a funny and relatable single mom, with reasonable and relatable self-doubt balanced well with confidence and the ability to get things done. However, she was a bit too perfect (meaning she was absolutely perfect, could do everything above and beyond to an unreasonable degree). I loved the way that Chloe and Jacob’s sibling relationship was portrayed – it was cute realistic and made them feel alive. Kyle was a little less well-rounded; the story is told partially from his POV, and there’s no real conflict or tension with his character – he’s perfect, kind, empathetic, and everyone breaks up with him even though he’s always 100% in for his relationships. This made him boring, unfortunately. Many of the characters felt more like caricatures than real people (Carla especially), which detracted from the story.
There were a few things I disliked about this work. The reader is told over and over about how much Amelia loves her kids, then we get to listen to her tell her friends how much she loves her kids, then the same conversation with Kyle, then again in her inner dialogue. Over. And. Over. The work began with a focus on the HOA tensions with Carla, but it quickly took the backseat to the barely-there romance; I think the story would have been much more engaging if there was more conflict with the HOA included. The work honestly felt like it was about 50 to 75 pages longer than necessary.
This was an easy-to-read slow-burn romance (definitely not enemies-to-lovers though, just a heads up). I listened to the audiobook version and think the narrator did a great job with the story. It was a fine read, but I didn’t find it to be very engaging unfortunately. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 2, 2022
DNF at 78%.
Amelia Marsh's husband left her for another woman and ghosted her and their two children. She has made a new start and moved to her hometown of Houston, closer to her friends. Unfortunately they have barely moved in before she falls foul of the Home-Owner's Association representative Carla, who objects to the family garden gnome being in the front garden. Little does Carla know that Amelia's children lovingly painted that gnome for her for mother's day and it was their only request when relocating to Houston that the gnome took pride of place in the garden. Unfortunately Carla takes great joy in throwing her weight around and issuing violation notices like confetti, but she's picked on the wrong mom this time! So far, so good, I especially liked Amelia's tactics of killing Carla with kindness and 'bless your heart'ing her to oblivion. True Southern woman revenge.
All this takes place at the community Easter Egg hunt, when Amelia's children have their photo taken with the Easter bunny, Amelia forms a bond with the guy wearing the bunny costume. He's devastatingly handsome and charming with a wicked sense of humour, unfortunately he also turns out to be the HOA President, Kyle Sanders. Amelia isn't going to let a pesky thing like animal attraction detract her from winning her battle with the HOA and bringing down Carla. Moreover, after a humiliating and messy divorce she doesn't want to bring anyone into her children's lives who might break their hearts again.
Kyle is madly attracted to his sassy new neighbour, even if she is threatening to challenge the HOA rules and make his life harder, but he vowed not to get involved with women with children so they will have to remain friends, or at least frenemies.
See, all this sounds great, a bit of enemies to lovers, a viciously polite war with the HOA, sassy dialogue and I'm all-in. Unfortunately, that all seemed to die out pretty quickly. Amelia was that impossible paragon of motherhood who can hold down a full-time job, bring up two small children single-handedly, and organise Easter Egg hunts for her friends' children whilst also creating an adults Easter hunt together with hand-made gift baskets for her friends (I think I threw-up in my mouth a little bit). Similarly, Kyle runs his own construction business yet also acts as President of the HOA, dresses up as the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas, kills wasps nests in the children's playground, etc, etc. But of course they are both too committed to their high-falutin' ideals to give in to their feelings, so they keep almost kissing, then friend zoning each other. The dastardly plans to confound Carla deteriorate and I just got bored. So, even though I was so close to the end, I couldn't bring myself to invest another 45 minutes in this book. If anyone finishes it and tells me that there is a brilliant scene where Carla is totally humiliated and gets the takedown she deserves then I might force myself to read the rest but at the moment it feels like it's all going to be a bit of a damp squib.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Amelia Marsh's husband left her for another woman and ghosted her and their two children. She has made a new start and moved to her hometown of Houston, closer to her friends. Unfortunately they have barely moved in before she falls foul of the Home-Owner's Association representative Carla, who objects to the family garden gnome being in the front garden. Little does Carla know that Amelia's children lovingly painted that gnome for her for mother's day and it was their only request when relocating to Houston that the gnome took pride of place in the garden. Unfortunately Carla takes great joy in throwing her weight around and issuing violation notices like confetti, but she's picked on the wrong mom this time! So far, so good, I especially liked Amelia's tactics of killing Carla with kindness and 'bless your heart'ing her to oblivion. True Southern woman revenge.
All this takes place at the community Easter Egg hunt, when Amelia's children have their photo taken with the Easter bunny, Amelia forms a bond with the guy wearing the bunny costume. He's devastatingly handsome and charming with a wicked sense of humour, unfortunately he also turns out to be the HOA President, Kyle Sanders. Amelia isn't going to let a pesky thing like animal attraction detract her from winning her battle with the HOA and bringing down Carla. Moreover, after a humiliating and messy divorce she doesn't want to bring anyone into her children's lives who might break their hearts again.
Kyle is madly attracted to his sassy new neighbour, even if she is threatening to challenge the HOA rules and make his life harder, but he vowed not to get involved with women with children so they will have to remain friends, or at least frenemies.
See, all this sounds great, a bit of enemies to lovers, a viciously polite war with the HOA, sassy dialogue and I'm all-in. Unfortunately, that all seemed to die out pretty quickly. Amelia was that impossible paragon of motherhood who can hold down a full-time job, bring up two small children single-handedly, and organise Easter Egg hunts for her friends' children whilst also creating an adults Easter hunt together with hand-made gift baskets for her friends (I think I threw-up in my mouth a little bit). Similarly, Kyle runs his own construction business yet also acts as President of the HOA, dresses up as the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas, kills wasps nests in the children's playground, etc, etc. But of course they are both too committed to their high-falutin' ideals to give in to their feelings, so they keep almost kissing, then friend zoning each other. The dastardly plans to confound Carla deteriorate and I just got bored. So, even though I was so close to the end, I couldn't bring myself to invest another 45 minutes in this book. If anyone finishes it and tells me that there is a brilliant scene where Carla is totally humiliated and gets the takedown she deserves then I might force myself to read the rest but at the moment it feels like it's all going to be a bit of a damp squib.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
August 10, 2022
Sorry, I just couldn't absorb this story properly with the 3rd person/present active tense narration style of writing in this book - not a style I have read much in a romance. My brain kept trying to convert everything to past tense, as that would have made way more sense to me. I would have enjoyed this story in first person too, as I felt the way it was written actually threw me out of the story and made a personal connection with the H/h impossible. Also, there are lines in italic that are obviously internal observations from the characters, which is awkward, as it breaks the whole point of the third person narration style.
If you like this POV trope, then I'd stay it's a well written and entertaining story and I note many other reviewers loved this women's fiction/romance. I just couldn't make myself like it, which is very disappointing, as the story itself is fun. My thanks go to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in return for my honest opinion.
If you like this POV trope, then I'd stay it's a well written and entertaining story and I note many other reviewers loved this women's fiction/romance. I just couldn't make myself like it, which is very disappointing, as the story itself is fun. My thanks go to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in return for my honest opinion.
August 7, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
This was a fun and funny story about a newly divorced single mom who moves into a new neighborhood and is stuck fighting against the HOA rules to keep a beloved gnome. Lots of laughs with some romance in the form of the HOA president, I really enjoyed this women's fiction/love story perfect for fans of Christina Hovland's Mommy wars series. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced digital copies in exchange for an honest review!
This was a fun and funny story about a newly divorced single mom who moves into a new neighborhood and is stuck fighting against the HOA rules to keep a beloved gnome. Lots of laughs with some romance in the form of the HOA president, I really enjoyed this women's fiction/love story perfect for fans of Christina Hovland's Mommy wars series. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced digital copies in exchange for an honest review!
September 7, 2022
With Neighbors Like This
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 9/22/22
Author: Tracy Goodwin
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Narrator: Eva Wihelm
Goodreads Rating: 3.47
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When divorced mom of two Amelia Marsh relocates to a northern suburb of Houston, all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. When a disagreement between Amelia and the HOA representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community...
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Amelia, with other chirping in, from their perspectives. This audiobook did not have great reviews but I loved the premise, single mom standing up for what she believes in, to show her kids the right thing to do. This classic enemies to lovers trope was sweet and heartwarming. Single mother of two + enemies to lovers + taking on the HOA + community of support = a heartwarming novel. This was a very quick listen, I listened on 2x, it did not sacrifice the quality, and I got through it in just a few days. The narrator really gave life to the characters, made me feel I was with Amelia fighting the HOA together! The characters were well developed, with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and well written. Amelia extremely likable; Kyle extremely likable; who doesn’t love kids; however, Roger, I absolutely despised. The author’s writing style was complex, emotional, endearing, and intriguing. I highly recommend this audiobook that is being released later this month, the book is already out, but I believe the audiobook is better.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 9/22/22
Author: Tracy Goodwin
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Narrator: Eva Wihelm
Goodreads Rating: 3.47
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When divorced mom of two Amelia Marsh relocates to a northern suburb of Houston, all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. When a disagreement between Amelia and the HOA representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community...
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Amelia, with other chirping in, from their perspectives. This audiobook did not have great reviews but I loved the premise, single mom standing up for what she believes in, to show her kids the right thing to do. This classic enemies to lovers trope was sweet and heartwarming. Single mother of two + enemies to lovers + taking on the HOA + community of support = a heartwarming novel. This was a very quick listen, I listened on 2x, it did not sacrifice the quality, and I got through it in just a few days. The narrator really gave life to the characters, made me feel I was with Amelia fighting the HOA together! The characters were well developed, with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and well written. Amelia extremely likable; Kyle extremely likable; who doesn’t love kids; however, Roger, I absolutely despised. The author’s writing style was complex, emotional, endearing, and intriguing. I highly recommend this audiobook that is being released later this month, the book is already out, but I believe the audiobook is better.
April 3, 2023
https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/tra...
I love me a good mommy drama! There’s something about a single mom standing up for herself and her kids in the face of a snooty neighbor that I just can’t resist.
With Neighbors Like This reminded me of The Truth and Other Hidden Things, Welcome to the Neighborhood, and Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes. Wow, this genre loves its long titles!
The scenes of Amelia putting Carla in her place were, of course, my favorite.
I enjoyed Amelia as the main character. She was strong, confident, and a great advocate for her kids. I liked her wit and sarcasm. I’m not sure how she balanced a full-time job, single motherhood, researching tenant’s rights and still had time to organize Easter egg hunts, but somehow she stayed on top of it all! In fact, she was such a good mom that her worst offense was having to move her kids’ gnome from the front yard to the back.
Kyle was so sweet, especially with Amelia’s kids. I wish we got to see more of his backstory and what hurt him in his past. I do think I wanted a little more out of the romance than we got. Both Amelia and Kyle were frustratingly wishy-washy about whether they wanted to be together. I liked that the romance took a back seat to Amelia’s relationship with her children, but I feel like there still could have been a little more, given that we got to see a decent amount of Kyle’s thoughts!
Audio Review: This audiobook was narrated by Eva Wilhelm. This was the first production of hers that I’ve listened to. I enjoyed her performance overall, and thought she was a good fit for Amelia’s character. However I didn’t like her “man-voice” for Kyle–it’s so important that a voice actor be able to do any gender’s voice well, but Kyle’s voice missed the mark for me in this one.
I love me a good mommy drama! There’s something about a single mom standing up for herself and her kids in the face of a snooty neighbor that I just can’t resist.
With Neighbors Like This reminded me of The Truth and Other Hidden Things, Welcome to the Neighborhood, and Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes. Wow, this genre loves its long titles!
The scenes of Amelia putting Carla in her place were, of course, my favorite.
I enjoyed Amelia as the main character. She was strong, confident, and a great advocate for her kids. I liked her wit and sarcasm. I’m not sure how she balanced a full-time job, single motherhood, researching tenant’s rights and still had time to organize Easter egg hunts, but somehow she stayed on top of it all! In fact, she was such a good mom that her worst offense was having to move her kids’ gnome from the front yard to the back.
Kyle was so sweet, especially with Amelia’s kids. I wish we got to see more of his backstory and what hurt him in his past. I do think I wanted a little more out of the romance than we got. Both Amelia and Kyle were frustratingly wishy-washy about whether they wanted to be together. I liked that the romance took a back seat to Amelia’s relationship with her children, but I feel like there still could have been a little more, given that we got to see a decent amount of Kyle’s thoughts!
Audio Review: This audiobook was narrated by Eva Wilhelm. This was the first production of hers that I’ve listened to. I enjoyed her performance overall, and thought she was a good fit for Amelia’s character. However I didn’t like her “man-voice” for Kyle–it’s so important that a voice actor be able to do any gender’s voice well, but Kyle’s voice missed the mark for me in this one.
September 20, 2022
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Dreamscape Media.
Amelia Marsh relocates with her two young kids to a northern suburb of Houston after a brutal divorce, and all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. The last thing she needs is to be the center of community gossip. But when a disagreement between Amelia and the Homeowners Association (HOA) representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community.
Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It shows a really human aspect of a messy situation, and Amelia is doing a great job being a mom & trying to raise her kids in a positive manner, while keeping everything together. Her kids are also quite sweet and add a lot to the story as she has to navigate the issues that arise in relation to them. This book was also very well written, was easy to read, and was cute. While I didn’t really care for the romance, I did love the small-town vibes. The community was great. Everyone was a little too perfect for me but I like the cheesiness. This was the perfect book for something quick and light after reading so many heavy books.
Rating: 3.5/5
Amelia Marsh relocates with her two young kids to a northern suburb of Houston after a brutal divorce, and all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. The last thing she needs is to be the center of community gossip. But when a disagreement between Amelia and the Homeowners Association (HOA) representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community.
Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It shows a really human aspect of a messy situation, and Amelia is doing a great job being a mom & trying to raise her kids in a positive manner, while keeping everything together. Her kids are also quite sweet and add a lot to the story as she has to navigate the issues that arise in relation to them. This book was also very well written, was easy to read, and was cute. While I didn’t really care for the romance, I did love the small-town vibes. The community was great. Everyone was a little too perfect for me but I like the cheesiness. This was the perfect book for something quick and light after reading so many heavy books.
Rating: 3.5/5
August 30, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: fiction, romance
CW/TW: deadbeat dad, bullying
One word in this blurb stood out and sold me on this book: gnome. Amelia decides that she won’t be a pushover when an HOA rep gives her grief about a garden gnome that’s placed in her front yard. This sweet gift from her children is considered an eye sore and a violation of HOA rules. As a newly divorced mother who recently moved with her kids, she promised them that the gnome would be placed there. Between that and her ex husband’s awfulness, Amelia refuses to give up this little thing that makes her kids happy.
Sparks fly when she meets Kyle, one of the neighborhood’s residents. But he's the "enemy" because he’s also the president of the HOA. It’s really an excuse. Amelia won't date because her priority is stability for her kids and she doesn't trust men. Kyle's sworn off dating women with kids because he gets close and then the relationship inevitably runs its course. He’d rather avoid the heartache. But the truth is they get along really well; her kids are adorable and Kyle's a great guy. Amelia's a fierce mama bear and friend, and as time wears on, the sparks between them can't be ignored. There’s also Gnomegate.
I freaking adored this story devouring it as quickly as I could! Amelia’s struggle as a single mom to provide for her kids and make up for her ex’s lack of humanity broke my heart. All the characters were fantastic, and the epic showdown between Amelia and her HOA nemesis was perfect.
It's honestly one of the most heartwarming and humorous stories. The narrator was excellent, too. Read this for a feel-good story about family, community banding together, and new beginnings. And gnomes.
Thanks to @SourcebooksCasa and @NetGalley for the audio arc.
Genre: fiction, romance
CW/TW: deadbeat dad, bullying
One word in this blurb stood out and sold me on this book: gnome. Amelia decides that she won’t be a pushover when an HOA rep gives her grief about a garden gnome that’s placed in her front yard. This sweet gift from her children is considered an eye sore and a violation of HOA rules. As a newly divorced mother who recently moved with her kids, she promised them that the gnome would be placed there. Between that and her ex husband’s awfulness, Amelia refuses to give up this little thing that makes her kids happy.
Sparks fly when she meets Kyle, one of the neighborhood’s residents. But he's the "enemy" because he’s also the president of the HOA. It’s really an excuse. Amelia won't date because her priority is stability for her kids and she doesn't trust men. Kyle's sworn off dating women with kids because he gets close and then the relationship inevitably runs its course. He’d rather avoid the heartache. But the truth is they get along really well; her kids are adorable and Kyle's a great guy. Amelia's a fierce mama bear and friend, and as time wears on, the sparks between them can't be ignored. There’s also Gnomegate.
I freaking adored this story devouring it as quickly as I could! Amelia’s struggle as a single mom to provide for her kids and make up for her ex’s lack of humanity broke my heart. All the characters were fantastic, and the epic showdown between Amelia and her HOA nemesis was perfect.
It's honestly one of the most heartwarming and humorous stories. The narrator was excellent, too. Read this for a feel-good story about family, community banding together, and new beginnings. And gnomes.
Thanks to @SourcebooksCasa and @NetGalley for the audio arc.
August 5, 2022
Between this adorable cover and the blurb I was really excited to get my hands on With Neighbors like This. Though it delivered on many fronts, I have to admit it fell short for me - in some aspects at least.
Newly divorced Amelia moves to a new home with her two kids. Residential development has its own Homeowners Association (HA), as well as a management company that ensures association rules and regulations are followed by all residents. Amelia is ready for a fresh start living closer to her two best friends. Little did she know that placing a gnome her children made her in her front yard will bring on the wrath of management company's rep Carla. Determined to fight this battle for her kids, Amelia decides to take on Homeowners Association and management company. So what if the president of HA, Kyle, seems really nice and has "abs that go for miles". Will Amelia's determination waver in light of flirty banter she keeps engaging in with Kyle? Or will Gnomegate drive the two apart?
Things I loved:
- enemies to lovers trope
- that the male lead Kyle was absolutely dreamy
- supportive and healthy female friendships
- that a gnome plays a significant role
- lots of cute rom com moments
- Amelia being so dedicated to her kids
Things that could've been better
- dialogue felt awkward at times (for me personally this brings me out of my reading dreamy zone and reminds me that I am reading)
- entire paragraphs of dialogue felt unnecessarily restated/repeated at times
- wish Amelia's ex and Carla were a little more two dimensional
I know for many readers these are not necessarily reading deal-breakers. Overall a cute and light read that will appeal to many fans of the genre. Definitely a feel good story that will have you cheering for Amelia and her gnome, and probably swoon over Kyle.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Newly divorced Amelia moves to a new home with her two kids. Residential development has its own Homeowners Association (HA), as well as a management company that ensures association rules and regulations are followed by all residents. Amelia is ready for a fresh start living closer to her two best friends. Little did she know that placing a gnome her children made her in her front yard will bring on the wrath of management company's rep Carla. Determined to fight this battle for her kids, Amelia decides to take on Homeowners Association and management company. So what if the president of HA, Kyle, seems really nice and has "abs that go for miles". Will Amelia's determination waver in light of flirty banter she keeps engaging in with Kyle? Or will Gnomegate drive the two apart?
Things I loved:
- enemies to lovers trope
- that the male lead Kyle was absolutely dreamy
- supportive and healthy female friendships
- that a gnome plays a significant role
- lots of cute rom com moments
- Amelia being so dedicated to her kids
Things that could've been better
- dialogue felt awkward at times (for me personally this brings me out of my reading dreamy zone and reminds me that I am reading)
- entire paragraphs of dialogue felt unnecessarily restated/repeated at times
- wish Amelia's ex and Carla were a little more two dimensional
I know for many readers these are not necessarily reading deal-breakers. Overall a cute and light read that will appeal to many fans of the genre. Definitely a feel good story that will have you cheering for Amelia and her gnome, and probably swoon over Kyle.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 11, 2022
This one will give you all the feels from laughter to tears so be ready! Great narration brings the emotions even more to the forefront of the story to enhance this wonderful story of overcoming and realizing that you are enough. Being a single mom is hard, but being a single mom combating bullies on multiple levels, a checked-out ex who leaves his children distraught and juggling big emotions in little kids is almost more than this mom can handle, but will she realize she is doing well and can accept help from unlikely sources, or will she go down in flames? This book was seriously a great read or rather listen and I can't wait to listen to another book by this author!
March 24, 2022
When divorced mom of two Amelia Marsh relocates to a northern suburb of Houston, all she wants is a bit of normalcy for her children. But when a disagreement between Amelia and the HOA representative over whether or not her children's garden gnome violates the association's rules, Amelia doesn't back down. HOA President Kyle Sanders would begin to be a good friend-and something more-if Amelia wasn't gearing up for battle with the HOA in her determination to make her house a home and her neighborhood a community...
A hilarious story... Amelia is such a feisty person. I love how she fights for her family. She has great chemistry with Kyle. Love their banter. Her kids are funny too. A terrific story...
Thanks to the publisher for the arc.
A hilarious story... Amelia is such a feisty person. I love how she fights for her family. She has great chemistry with Kyle. Love their banter. Her kids are funny too. A terrific story...
Thanks to the publisher for the arc.
December 29, 2022
I’m always excited to add a new audiobook to my monthly reads, so I quickly added WITH NEIGHBORS LIKE THIS after reading the synopsis.
It was a cute romcom with relatable characters, and I liked the love interest between Amelia and Kyle. The audio was narrated by Eva Wilhelm, who really brought the story to life.
*many thanks to Dreamscape Media/Netgalley for the gifted audiobook for review
It was a cute romcom with relatable characters, and I liked the love interest between Amelia and Kyle. The audio was narrated by Eva Wilhelm, who really brought the story to life.
*many thanks to Dreamscape Media/Netgalley for the gifted audiobook for review
August 10, 2022
With Neighbors Like This by Tracy Goodwin
8 hrs & 34 mins narrated by Eva Wilhelm, 288 pages Paperback
Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction > Chick Lit, Contemporary
Featuring: Houston, Texas; Single Parenting, HOA, Easter, Suburbs, Dual POVs, Homecoming Trope, Dumbed Down Disney Kids, Kissing
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera, "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
My rating: ⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 17% 2:26:55 Ch.6 - It's okay but it's trying too hard and the kids are written younger than their age.
📱37% 3:09:35 Ch. 13 - The banter is Hallmark okay; the 10 and 8 year old read like a 6 and 4 year old and it's super annoying, they act younger with each chapter. A 10 year old saying VPs after hearing VIP twice or trice isn't cute. I don't know any kids that think the Easter Bunny costumes used photo ops are the real Easter Bunny, but kids over 7, really? At this point I'm just along for the ride and I'm hoping to stay in the 3 star zone.
📱58% 4:56:24 Ch. 22 - Ugh! Hugging legs, how short is this 10 year old? You don't have to tell me Game of Gnomes, which you've already said several times, is a reference to A Games of Thrones before friend counters with Khaleesi. 8 year olds know what spas are, they wouldn't insist on calling it spay day, not funny. Houston is not between Dallas and San Antonio, just say you wanted to be close. I need a break from the stupefied humor. There are 27 people waiting for this book and it jumped from 4 weeks to available within days. Now I'm not sure if that's because it was a quick read or a DNF.
This book wasn't it. The writing wasn't the best but my biggest issues was the annoying kids, bad humor and romance. I'll start with the romance, it was nonexistent. It was never enemies to lovers, just friendzoned from the start with them cutting the caution tape in the last paragraph. The kids were not 8 and 10, I don't care what the author wrote, their behavior was babyish and ranged from 2 to 7, I'm serious they turned in toddlers at the restaurant. Then randomly they would say something mature. It was really annoying. Every time she dumbed them down to make a joke it was the opposite of funny. 8 and 10 and can't tell a proper knock-knock joke? Are you serious, other kindergarteners would have taught them. The bullying wasn't to my liking, they acted like Amelia was doing the most to battle it but she literally had missiles in these fights and ignored them to use her water gun. I was annoyed that she backed down from everyone under the guise that she was standing up, her ex, the HOA rep, the principal. There is no way I would have walked out of that office with that punishment, you report corruption you don't warn it. The husband would have heard from my lawyer. She backed down at every turn and let people live other to bully another day. That zero-tolerance policy argument was asinine, I wouldn't have plenty to counter it with.
Recommend to others?: Nope. Save yourself. I was hoping it was going somewhere. I even thought it could be a 3 star book until I hit the 90% mark.
8 hrs & 34 mins narrated by Eva Wilhelm, 288 pages Paperback
Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction > Chick Lit, Contemporary
Featuring: Houston, Texas; Single Parenting, HOA, Easter, Suburbs, Dual POVs, Homecoming Trope, Dumbed Down Disney Kids, Kissing
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera, "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
My rating: ⭐️⭐️½
My thoughts: 17% 2:26:55 Ch.6 - It's okay but it's trying too hard and the kids are written younger than their age.
📱37% 3:09:35 Ch. 13 - The banter is Hallmark okay; the 10 and 8 year old read like a 6 and 4 year old and it's super annoying, they act younger with each chapter. A 10 year old saying VPs after hearing VIP twice or trice isn't cute. I don't know any kids that think the Easter Bunny costumes used photo ops are the real Easter Bunny, but kids over 7, really? At this point I'm just along for the ride and I'm hoping to stay in the 3 star zone.
📱58% 4:56:24 Ch. 22 - Ugh! Hugging legs, how short is this 10 year old? You don't have to tell me Game of Gnomes, which you've already said several times, is a reference to A Games of Thrones before friend counters with Khaleesi. 8 year olds know what spas are, they wouldn't insist on calling it spay day, not funny. Houston is not between Dallas and San Antonio, just say you wanted to be close. I need a break from the stupefied humor. There are 27 people waiting for this book and it jumped from 4 weeks to available within days. Now I'm not sure if that's because it was a quick read or a DNF.
This book wasn't it. The writing wasn't the best but my biggest issues was the annoying kids, bad humor and romance. I'll start with the romance, it was nonexistent. It was never enemies to lovers, just friendzoned from the start with them cutting the caution tape in the last paragraph. The kids were not 8 and 10, I don't care what the author wrote, their behavior was babyish and ranged from 2 to 7, I'm serious they turned in toddlers at the restaurant. Then randomly they would say something mature. It was really annoying. Every time she dumbed them down to make a joke it was the opposite of funny. 8 and 10 and can't tell a proper knock-knock joke? Are you serious, other kindergarteners would have taught them. The bullying wasn't to my liking, they acted like Amelia was doing the most to battle it but she literally had missiles in these fights and ignored them to use her water gun. I was annoyed that she backed down from everyone under the guise that she was standing up, her ex, the HOA rep, the principal. There is no way I would have walked out of that office with that punishment, you report corruption you don't warn it. The husband would have heard from my lawyer. She backed down at every turn and let people live other to bully another day. That zero-tolerance policy argument was asinine, I wouldn't have plenty to counter it with.
Recommend to others?: Nope. Save yourself. I was hoping it was going somewhere. I even thought it could be a 3 star book until I hit the 90% mark.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2022
Amelia Marsh is a recent divorcee with two young children. When her husband decided to leave her he also decided to have no further contact with his children. She promises her children when they moved that she will proudly display the gnome they made in the front yard. This instantly creates controversy in the HOA. Amelia will go up against the HOA and its cute president Kyle to keep her promise to her children.
With Neighbors Like This is my first experience reading Tracy Goodwin's writing. She writes interesting characters that felt authentic. As much as I liked the dialogue between Amelia and Kyle, I felt like there was a lot of telling and not as much showing during the rest of the book. I felt myself skipping over paragraphs of miscellaneous information that I wasn't invested in. It's being marketed as this enemies to lovers book but Amelia really has no conflict with Kyle except that fact that he's the HOA president. He makes it very clear to her that he's not interested in fighting with her about the gnome and ever gives ideas on how to circumvent the rules. It's more of a friends to lovers in that Amelia friend zone's him for 99 percent of the book. I really enjoyed the character of Kyle. He seems like an all around nice guy. I love a man who will take charge and will figure out what his partner needs without them asking. The relationship that Amelia has with her friends felt authentic. They are supportive but going through their own issues just like a real friendship. This book felt less of a romance and more of a story about finding yourself after a divorce.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
With Neighbors Like This is my first experience reading Tracy Goodwin's writing. She writes interesting characters that felt authentic. As much as I liked the dialogue between Amelia and Kyle, I felt like there was a lot of telling and not as much showing during the rest of the book. I felt myself skipping over paragraphs of miscellaneous information that I wasn't invested in. It's being marketed as this enemies to lovers book but Amelia really has no conflict with Kyle except that fact that he's the HOA president. He makes it very clear to her that he's not interested in fighting with her about the gnome and ever gives ideas on how to circumvent the rules. It's more of a friends to lovers in that Amelia friend zone's him for 99 percent of the book. I really enjoyed the character of Kyle. He seems like an all around nice guy. I love a man who will take charge and will figure out what his partner needs without them asking. The relationship that Amelia has with her friends felt authentic. They are supportive but going through their own issues just like a real friendship. This book felt less of a romance and more of a story about finding yourself after a divorce.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 16, 2022
I got this e-book arc from NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca. The premise is great-newly single mom Amelia and her two kids move in order to get a fresh start. She immediately gets cross-wise with the neighborhood covenant enforcer, Carla, and meets Kyle, the cute president of the HOA. Carla keeps harassing her. Kyle makes her life more bearable, especially as her ex-husband’s jerkiness knows no limits. It’s very chaste in the budding romance department. Amelia’s kids play a major role, not just one-dimensional side characters, which I liked. The problem-the writing isn’t great, especially the dialogue, which is a little awkward and unrealistic. Hopefully some of this was cleaned up before final publishing, so I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt in that regard. Some parts of the book were weaker in this area than others. I appreciate the chance to read this galley.
July 30, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
With Neighbors Like This is a fun, fairly light read. While I’ve never lived on my own and never had to deal with a homeowners association, I have heard horror stories and Goodwin provided enough context to make the setup intriguing and comedic.
Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It’s hard not to feel for a recently divorced single mom trying to do her best to keep everything together, and Goodwin perfectly captures that dynamic. Her kids are also quite sweet and add a lot to the story as she has to navigate the issues that arise in relation to them.
But I really didn’t feel like there was much conflict with the HOA president, Kyle. He’s generally well-intentioned, and it’s more an issue of the institution being against her than him personally. He even tries to help her get around them.
As a result, I had mixed feelings about the romance. I love a sweet, patient guy who’s willing to help an emotionally wounded woman unconditionally. But without real stakes, I didn’t feel like there was much reason to care for them as a couple.
While I didn’t fall in love with this one, I found it a pretty enjoyable read for the most part. If you enjoy slower burn contemporary romances, especially with divorced heroines, you might enjoy this one.
With Neighbors Like This is a fun, fairly light read. While I’ve never lived on my own and never had to deal with a homeowners association, I have heard horror stories and Goodwin provided enough context to make the setup intriguing and comedic.
Amelia is a solid protagonist, and she’s pretty easy to root for. It’s hard not to feel for a recently divorced single mom trying to do her best to keep everything together, and Goodwin perfectly captures that dynamic. Her kids are also quite sweet and add a lot to the story as she has to navigate the issues that arise in relation to them.
But I really didn’t feel like there was much conflict with the HOA president, Kyle. He’s generally well-intentioned, and it’s more an issue of the institution being against her than him personally. He even tries to help her get around them.
As a result, I had mixed feelings about the romance. I love a sweet, patient guy who’s willing to help an emotionally wounded woman unconditionally. But without real stakes, I didn’t feel like there was much reason to care for them as a couple.
While I didn’t fall in love with this one, I found it a pretty enjoyable read for the most part. If you enjoy slower burn contemporary romances, especially with divorced heroines, you might enjoy this one.
July 13, 2023
I thought this was really good. I loved Amelia’s relationship with her kids. She always said the most amazing things and you could feel her love for them jump off the page. The kids themselves were adorable. They were not without faults or trauma, but they had such wonderful personalities.
The romance was a little irritating. At some point the friendzoning when clearly you want to be more just goes on too long and that’s what happened here. Although I did really like their interactions when they were together. They were a wonderful couple and I wanted more of them.
The whole Gnomegate plot was fun. And Carla was fun to hate. I liked the direction it ended up going in the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The romance was a little irritating. At some point the friendzoning when clearly you want to be more just goes on too long and that’s what happened here. Although I did really like their interactions when they were together. They were a wonderful couple and I wanted more of them.
The whole Gnomegate plot was fun. And Carla was fun to hate. I liked the direction it ended up going in the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2022
This book offers a lot more than a love story, though honestly the love story is a very small part of the story. In addition to providing the slowest slow burn ever, it offer excellent commentary on parenting, life, relationships, and standing up for what you believe in. I found the MCs and their relationship really sweet despite them both being pretty wishy washy about what they wanted. I really appreciated the way Amelia was depicted-the mom guilt representation was amazing and incredibly realistic. This was a cute story, but I found the flow to be a bit weird.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. All opinions are my own.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "With Neighbors Like This" by Tracy Goodwin, slated to release on August 2nd, 2022.
Amelia Marsh is trying to make a better life for her & her two children, Jacob and Chloe. She and her ex-husband, Daniel have recently split up and he seems to have no desire to get in touch with his children whatsoever. She even has to go so far as to calling his new wife just to try and get him to talk to them. She is also battling with a woman named Carla, who does not approve of the gnome that she has put out on her front lawn (that her children have painted for her) When Amelia won't comply with bylaws, she goes on to find other things she doesn't like about her, and even goes so far as to trespass on her property.
Amelia meets Kyle, but is always sure to put her children first, even though they both want their mother to date him. They realize that he's the complete opposite of their father and don't have an issue with it. Amelia, on the other hand, is a little more reluctant about it.
The only issue that I really had with this novel is the way in which Jacob and Chloe were written. They are supposed to be 10 and 8, but their voices are written much younger, in my opinion.
Overall, I rated this novel a 3/5 stars.
Amelia Marsh is trying to make a better life for her & her two children, Jacob and Chloe. She and her ex-husband, Daniel have recently split up and he seems to have no desire to get in touch with his children whatsoever. She even has to go so far as to calling his new wife just to try and get him to talk to them. She is also battling with a woman named Carla, who does not approve of the gnome that she has put out on her front lawn (that her children have painted for her) When Amelia won't comply with bylaws, she goes on to find other things she doesn't like about her, and even goes so far as to trespass on her property.
Amelia meets Kyle, but is always sure to put her children first, even though they both want their mother to date him. They realize that he's the complete opposite of their father and don't have an issue with it. Amelia, on the other hand, is a little more reluctant about it.
The only issue that I really had with this novel is the way in which Jacob and Chloe were written. They are supposed to be 10 and 8, but their voices are written much younger, in my opinion.
Overall, I rated this novel a 3/5 stars.
June 28, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love slow-burn romances, and this was my first Tracy Goodwin novel!
Amelia March moves her two children to the suburbs, where she accidentally gets in a little war with the HOA patrol. This sparks a friendship with the HOA president, Kyle.
I love Amelia, Kyle, and Amelia's two children so much. While many say this is enemies-to-lovers, I'd say it's more of a somewhat friends, to friends to lovers instead.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
I love slow-burn romances, and this was my first Tracy Goodwin novel!
Amelia March moves her two children to the suburbs, where she accidentally gets in a little war with the HOA patrol. This sparks a friendship with the HOA president, Kyle.
I love Amelia, Kyle, and Amelia's two children so much. While many say this is enemies-to-lovers, I'd say it's more of a somewhat friends, to friends to lovers instead.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
August 2, 2022
HOA twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope
Amelia has HOA problems, and Kyle is right in the thick of it. I loved that their relationship began as a friendship, and pretty much stayed there while they each worked through their own anti-relationship issues. The slow burn was just perfect for these two.
I love when Amelia goes all mama bear for her kids. Her kids were charming, especially when they weren't trying to be. I appreciated that the author showed them as not-so-perfect children, which went a long way towards making Amelia more relatable as a mother.
Their HEA was delightful, and I was glad to see an equitable solution to the main point of contention. I enjoyed the humor even if the book reminded me of why I would never live in a home with an HOA. I really love this author's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Amelia has HOA problems, and Kyle is right in the thick of it. I loved that their relationship began as a friendship, and pretty much stayed there while they each worked through their own anti-relationship issues. The slow burn was just perfect for these two.
I love when Amelia goes all mama bear for her kids. Her kids were charming, especially when they weren't trying to be. I appreciated that the author showed them as not-so-perfect children, which went a long way towards making Amelia more relatable as a mother.
Their HEA was delightful, and I was glad to see an equitable solution to the main point of contention. I enjoyed the humor even if the book reminded me of why I would never live in a home with an HOA. I really love this author's writing style and look forward to reading more of her books. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
September 1, 2022
Audiobook: This is a dual POV story with one female narrator. She was a great choice for this audiobook. The main character is doing her best to be strong and doesn't back down and the narrator conveyed all of that through her voice.
Story: Amelia is great in this story. She is relatable as a mom doing whatever is best for her children. Standing up for them in the toughest situatuions. This is a mom you don't want to mess with. But this story also shows the vulnerable side of being a parent, a single parent at that. Trying to be enough for your kids, which is something most if not all moms can relate to.
I enjoyed the banter between Amelia and Kyle in the beginning of the story. I like how the author took her time with their relationship (if you want to call it that). He proved himself and neither of them took it lightly knowing children were involved.
This story will have you laughing throughout.
Wonderful audiobook!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opporunity to listen to this audiobook.
Story: Amelia is great in this story. She is relatable as a mom doing whatever is best for her children. Standing up for them in the toughest situatuions. This is a mom you don't want to mess with. But this story also shows the vulnerable side of being a parent, a single parent at that. Trying to be enough for your kids, which is something most if not all moms can relate to.
I enjoyed the banter between Amelia and Kyle in the beginning of the story. I like how the author took her time with their relationship (if you want to call it that). He proved himself and neither of them took it lightly knowing children were involved.
This story will have you laughing throughout.
Wonderful audiobook!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opporunity to listen to this audiobook.
July 24, 2022
This book was cute. I really liked the HOA (well more the management company of the HOA) and the MCs fight with each other and it makes me glad I don't live in one at the same time!
Amelia has just divorced and moved her two kids near her best friends. She puts a gnome in her front yard as she promised her children which immediately puts her on Carla's radar. She also meets Kyle (or ABS GUY lol) half dressers as the Easter Bunny at a neighborhood party.
They are attracted to each other and they become friends who both would love more but Amelia needs to focus on her kids and Kyle says he'll never date a woman with children again as he's been burned in the past.
Kyle was so good with the kids though and I love that he built a friendly foundation with them first. I live their banter together. I love how Amelia puts her kids first as she should because their actual dad is a loser (who treats them like trash 😢)
Amelia has just divorced and moved her two kids near her best friends. She puts a gnome in her front yard as she promised her children which immediately puts her on Carla's radar. She also meets Kyle (or ABS GUY lol) half dressers as the Easter Bunny at a neighborhood party.
They are attracted to each other and they become friends who both would love more but Amelia needs to focus on her kids and Kyle says he'll never date a woman with children again as he's been burned in the past.
Kyle was so good with the kids though and I love that he built a friendly foundation with them first. I live their banter together. I love how Amelia puts her kids first as she should because their actual dad is a loser (who treats them like trash 😢)
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