Overall I enjoyed this book, it’s a nice easy romance and I did find myself rooting for Mia and Luke. Mia did become a bit tiresome at the end, and Luke appeared to have the patience of a saint as he constantly had to reassure her and put up with her running off when another woman so much as looked at him! At least that’s what it felt like! Still worth a read if you’re looking for something light and easy to kill some time with.

This book was a DNF for me. I read about halfway and just found it way to repetitive. Mia constantly doubting her judgement and feelings and just when there might be a turning point, another misunderstanding happens with Luke’s charms with females. Once or twice was okay but like 10 of them were just too much. We get the point! Now move on to the self development and getting together.

Mr. Right Across the Street had a promising start. We meet Mia, who’s ogling her neighbour, Hot Guy Opposite, on a daily basis. When their paths cross in the bar Luke owns, they hit it off from the start. They are both pretending to be ‘just friends’, and going on non-dates (and if you have to specify it’s a non-date, you can bet your ass it’s definitely not a non-date), but they both want more .

Luke is a ‘ladies man’ and Mia, who had a rocky dating relationship, is hesitant to trust him. And I feel like this book is shaming people who prefer casual relationships.

“And why he seemed to prefer casual relationships based on sex, rather than anything more meaningful, when it was clear he was a lot deeper than he let on.”
Does it mean he is shallow just because he prefers casual relationships? Of course not.

“Maybe he’d been careless with women over the years…” Just because he doesn’t want a serious relationship doesn’t mean he’s careless. He was always upfront with his flings about things being casual, and statements like that makes him sound like an emotionless brute.

Any time a woman breathes near Luke, Mia takes off and hides in her apartment. She is full of insecurities because of one bad relationship and Luke has to reassure her constantly. And every conflict in the book comes from that.
I feel like the insecurities she has are all highschool insecurities. For example, she’s always calling herself ‘the nerd’ and Luke is always ‘the cool kid’. Mia always references them like they are two different worlds, and aren’t able to be together. They are both in their thirties, and she still uses highschool stereotypes? And oh, the insecurities.

Luke has to be careful not to do anything to scare Mia off, like she’s some kind of skittish animal. And no matter what he does, she’s always doubting him again at the end of day.
“When he decided he’d had enough of dating the nerdy Smurfette, where did it leave her?”
And no matter how hard he tries, she is always keeping him at arm’s length. Because of, you know, the insecurities.
“He was trying to change, to let her in so they could have a real relationship.
She, on the other hand, was putting her head in the sand.”

You can’t have a proper book without flawed characters with a shitty past.
So let’s talk about Pete.
Pete is Mia’s latest ex, and a source of her trust issues. Yeah, he wasn’t a pleasant thing to deal with, but I didn’t see why he had such a huge impact on Mia.
They were together for a while, but when she broke things off, he wouldn’t leave her alone so she moved and changed her number.
Mia goes on and on how she had to buy a new phone because of him. I wasn’t aware of the fact that you had to buy a new phone if you wanted to change your number?

Pete comes in search of Mia to the bar. Luke grovels. Pete leaves.
He was much better with his off-screen influence on Mia and I feel like his appearance didn’t have any impact and was unnecessary.
And how did he find her? She didn’t unfriend him on Facebook and he saw her activities. So, you move from Somerset to Manchester and change your phone to escape this guy, and you forget to unfriend him on Facebook?
For a computer wizz like Mia… I just don’t know what to say.

This book is marketed as ‘full of fun’, but I didn’t enjoy it so much. Their banter, which both of them held in high regard, wasn’t anything so special to me.
A lot of typos, and tenses seem to be a little jumbled up at times.

I liked Luke’s relationship with Grace. It’s clear she’s the most important person in his world. The fact that both Luke and Freya put aside their differences is very admirable and I wish everyone would have such good parents as they are.

Aside from Grace. the friends and family of both Mia and Luke were there only to be plot devices to move their relationship forward. They are only mentioned when Mia/Luke needed to talk about their feelings.

Also the big problem with this one, and usually a lot of romance books, is that the main male character always does everything he can to prove something to a woman, while she rarely chips in. And effort should go both ways. Everybody wants to meet their Mr. Right, but you also have to be Ms. Right for the other person.
Luke is always doing something to prove to Mia his feelings are real. And what does she do? Does she return the gesture? No, because she is the one with the troubled past and he is the one who has to prove himself.
I think it gives an unrealistic image of a healthy relationship to young minds who read this.

The parts of the book I liked the most were few and far between. I adored their interaction with window messages. And Luke could be cute when he wanted to be.

“2night
Me = bar
If U = bar
Me = :)”

I really enjoyed the organic feel this book had. It was a good slow burn and I loved it. I loved the characters and the banter, and watching the characters grow together and not just instantly be in a perfect relationship.

Mia has just moved to Manchester to get away from an ex who won’t leave her alone. Away from family and friends, Mia wanted to make new friends in a new city. She meets Hot Guy Opposite and a very real relationship evolves. Mia is hesitant, because of her past, and his past. Very much a ‘ can a leopard change its spots ‘ book.
I really loved this novel. I loved the relationship Mia makes with Stan, a father daughter relationship, something a girl would need while being so far from home.
I enjoyed everything about this story. Loved the front cover, too. I’m sure it will be a massive hit in 2021.

This book is so fun! Cute, charming, and funny in equal measure. Mr. Right Across the Street has the ingredients for a great romance: chemistry, shenanigans, a cast of good background characters, etc. There are moments when this book is a bit too "not like the other girls" for my taste, and the latter half of the plot struggles with repetitive conflicts. That said, definitely enjoyable! And I know there are so many readers who will fall in love with these characters and their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

With the way 2020 has been going, I have lived for romance novels. Mr. Right Across the Street does not disappoint! It’s fun and light! I loved living through the characters. The character development was well thought out and written well. The plot was so cute. I can’t wait to recommend this to people.

I started and finished this book in one setting, I didn’t want to put it down! I can’t wait to explore Kathryn Freeman’s other works!

First, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mia is 30-years-old and recently moved to Manchester to escape from her ex-boyfriend. From the window of her new apartment, she likes to watch her neighbors. There is Immaculate Woman who seems to not own any comfortable clothes, and, of course, Hot Guy Opposite who starts his workout routine at 10 AM every day. However one day, Hot Guy, who she now knows as Luke, leaves her a note on his window. He knows she’s been watching and he wants to exchange window notes. She’s wary because of his player status and he’s intrigued by her. Will this player change his way for love?

The first half of the book, I was so sure I would like it. Mia had befriended her older neighbor Stan and had a cute father-daughter relationship with him. We had player Luke who finally got his attention caught on a woman. Then they started exchanging cute messages between their windows and going on "non-date" dates. It had all the making for a cute set-up.

However, around the second half is when it took a turn. What I don't get is how a 30-year-old woman is still hung up on high school stereotypes. I kept reading on and on about how can Luke want to be with her because she's the nerd and he's the cool guy? Um, honey. You're not in high school anymore. That was only the beginning of Mia's insecurities driving a wedge in their relationship. Any little time that another woman would breathe around Luke, she'd get in her head and ghost him. I felt like they kept having the same conversations to reassure her that he was interested in her. But then she'd get in her head again and the cycle continued. You either trust him or you don't. Why would she believe other people over him? Especially when she knew some people had an agenda? I mean Luke wasn't totally faultless either, though. They kept having half-conversations that should have continued before they ended. It felt like a device just to keep conflict going, and boy did it get annoying after reading Luke and Mia's run-around after the second time.

Mia also had big issues around Luke having slept around before her. I get it; at first I would be wary too. But to hang it over his head when that was in the past? It's not like he can change his past. You can't prosecute the man because of him consensually sleeping with other women before he even was with you.

I also would have liked if there were less comparisons made between Mia and other women? I get it. She's "less maintenance" than the other women Luke usually kept company. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just when it starts to be seen as a negative trait to like to dress up and "she's not like other girls". I didn't need to read about Luke liking that she was more laidback than women he used to keep company. That he thought it made her more "real". Just complimenting Mia for herself would've been enough. There's no need to compare her to other women. It just reeks high school insecurity, which seems to be a theme in this book.

I so badly wanted to like this one more because of the cute cover and great start. I just wish this book had more depth and maturity, especially for people in their 30s. It's time to hang up high school stereotypes and insecurities about being "the nerd" at that point. I wish I could have had more of their cute "non-dates" and window messages than that.

That being said, I can see readers who are fond of Sophie Kinsella liking this book.

"Mr. Right Across the Street" is a romantic novel that I know will soar in 2021. Kathryn Freeman writes a romantic comedy in which the main characters communicate through notes on their windows. It made me wish for easier days where we did not have cell phones and relied on honest connections. With our countries circumstances where they are, the concept is something that may be impactful for years to come.
Luke and Mia are two lovers who meet at a bar. Luke, the barkeeper, instantly wants to talk with Mia and ask her out. However; Mia is completely new to the city and doesn't want to start anything new. She's had enough of heartbreak and player boys. However, Luke invites Mia out on adventures through her new city. Will Mia fall in love? What messages do Mia and Luke send back and forth? These are questions you'll need to answer upon reading this novel.

I am a heavy reader for romance novels and this one hits most of my checkmarks. Alas. I do wish that we the changing points of view were better marked. There were a few chapters where only Mia's point of view was featured. I yearned to find out what Luke was thinking.

Overall, I would recommend this novel to readers who liked "The Flatshare" by Beth Orleans or "The Bride Test" by Helen Hoang. Readers of contemporary romance or romantic comedy will not be disappointed.

Now, to the review. I thought this book was very cute and checked off a lot of the contemporary necessities one would desire. However, it truly was not my favourite and I did not feel attached to the characters whatsoever. Towards the end of the novel, it just felt as though it was dragging on in terms of the conflict that continuously occurred with every chapter. Just when one was solved, another appeared and it just got a bit annoying after a certain point. Then, it felt as though the ending forced a wrap up when a lot of things were not fully resolved–– such as the conflict between Freya and Mia–– for, instead we just see them in the epilogue. I did, however, find the idea of communicating through their windows very cute and the concept of their non-dates which I wish we got to see more of. Lastly, I also enjoyed the dual point of view and it made the story so much more enjoyable.

An enjoyable contemporary romance. Freeman's characters are appealing, but the plot is weighted toward the latter third of the story.

I absolutely adored this book! I needed a light read, and Mia was the escape I was looking for. I enjoyed the chemistry and side characters. The writing, especially the dialog was contagious, and I had a hard time putting the book down, so I didn’t. I was hooked from the cover to the end! I will be reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the advanced copy for my voluntary review.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved that I could relate to the main character, more so than I have done in any other book I have read recently. The main character would rather have a beer at the bar than a cocktail, she likes football and is comfiest in leggings and a t-shirt or jeans and a t-shirt.
I loved the unique relationship that the 2 main characters had and how they were able to overcome obstacles through talking and learning to trust each other.
I find myself still thinking about this book a few days after finishing it and that to me is the sign of a really great book!

This felt very "normal," in ways, but I feel like there was a lot of secrecy with both Luke and Mia that was alluded to but should have been revealed to the reader sooner. By the time we find out about Mia's relationship issues, and Luke's, it's a bit underwhelming. The pacing also felt very slow during the middle, as these two date, but don't. The date ideas were fun, but Mia's hangups and judgments detracted some from that.

I did find myself a lot more invested in Luke, and his story. I think that was perhaps because he was less neurotic, and didn't judge others. He was a very stand-up guy, and I felt for him at times. He put up with so much!!

I truly enjoyed this book.. I loved the fact that their relationship grew over time... And that they were friends first. I feel like thw author implemented the right amount of conflict at the right moments. I loved that mia was a down to earth computer nerd. Luke was way more then meets the eye.. A classic story of when it's right it's right...

I enjoyed Luke and Mia’s story. I liked how they met organically and their story grew over time into something more,

I liked Mia as a protagonist and I enjoyed the story arc of finding out about Luke’s baggage. That really added to the story and developed it a lot.

The ending was sweet and well rounded and I really enjoyed the read.

Thanks for sharing!

I really really liked this one!

The main characters had great chemistry and there were plenty of hilarious scenes and I absolutely loved the dates they went on and the steamy and cuteness of their relationship.
Having both of their POV's made it so much better and I could hardly put it down during the first half.

I also liked all the side characters and that the issues within the relationship felt real.

My only issue was the length of the book as I think it definitely could have been a little shorter but I enjoyed this one a lot and I'll definitely pick up more of her books.

To get away from a bad relationship, Mia moves away from her home. New to Manchester, the highlight of her day is watching her hot neighbor across the way work out. When she decides to venture out to meet new people, she hits up the bar across the street. Lo and behold the bartender/owner is her hot neighbor across the way, Luke.

Luke is instantly drawn to Mia, and tries to get her to go out with him, but he has a reputation for getting around and after a string of bad relationships, Mia is a bit hesitant to start something up with him.

Since Mia doesn’t give out her number, Luke figures out another way to communicate with her and it strikes up a budding friendship that soon leads to more.

Overall, I loved the concept of the book, but it was just OK for me. It was fun and light, but I felt the book was too drawn out and the pacing too slow. I do like the author’s writing style and humor. The main characters are likable and have chemistry, I just felt it took forever to get anywhere.

I really liked that Mia was unapologetically herself and that’s what drew Luke to her. There were parts that were unexpected and that made the story a bit more interesting. I enjoyed the supporting characters, except for one who was quite annoying.

Maybe if you read faster than I do, you’ll like it more or maybe if the eARC formatting had been better, I would have gotten through it faster.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for sending me an eARC for an honest review.

Ahhh this book was so cute and just what I needed! The cover was adorable and this whole story was amazing!

definitely adding this to my reread pile!

Mr Right Across the Street is a cute contemporary romance about two people who live across the way from one another. Mia, someone who is trying to start a new life, stumbles into her hot new neighbors bar and they finally meet.

Luke is completely smitten by Mia and feels an instant connection with her, but Mia is a little more hesitant considering her past relationships, and the fact that she is trying to make a new life for herself that doesn't include men. Soon Luke and Mia become friends, until feelings become stronger.

I thought this was a cute book. This would be a good starter book for those that want to try to get into romance that doesn't focus on steamy scenes.