Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Love at First

ebook
5 of 5 copies available
5 of 5 copies available
"The most delightful cast of characters I've met in ages...a modern romance masterpiece." —New York Times bestseller Christina Lauren

"Constantly revealing new layers of lyricism...Love at First is poetry, then — sometimes an artful sonnet, other times halting free verse. But it's never anything short of miraculous." —Entertainment Weekly, Grade A

"At the end I was left with that warm, glowing love for humanity." —The New York Times

Buzzfeed Books to Add to Your TBR
Goodreads Hottest Romances of 2021
Frolic Best Books of Winter 2021
BookRiot Books for Coping with A COVID-19 Winter
SmexyBooks Most Anticipated Books
A Love So True Books Every Romance Fan Should Read

A sparkling and tender novel from the acclaimed author of Love Lettering, full of bickering neighbors, surprise reunions, and the mysterious power of love that fans of Christina Lauren, Sarah Hogle, and Emily Henry will adore.

Sixteen years ago, a teenaged Will Sterling saw—or rather, heard—the girl of his dreams. Standing beneath an apartment building balcony, he shared a perfect moment with a lovely, warm-voiced stranger. It's a memory that's never faded, though he's put so much of his past behind him. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor. Instead, he encounters a woman, two balconies above, who's uncannily familiar . . .

No matter how surprised Nora Clarke is by her reaction to handsome, curious Will, or the whispered pre-dawn conversations they share, she won't let his plans ruin her quirky, close-knit building. Bound by her loyalty to her adored grandmother, she sets out to foil his efforts with a little light sabotage. But beneath the surface of their feud is an undeniable connection. A balcony, a star-crossed couple, a fateful meeting—maybe it's the kind of story that can't work out in the end. Or maybe, it's the perfect second chance . . .
  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

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

    • Booklist

      January 1, 2021
      Clayborn (Love Lettering, 2019) explores the experience of falling in love in a Chicago apartment building in a contemporary romance that will resonate with city dwellers and rural readers alike. Nora is sad about the passing of her building's longtime resident, Donny, but when she meets new resident Will during her "golden hour" ritual, she's not upset about her new company. That is until Will announces his plans to convert his unit into a short-term rental. Will is surprised that his estranged uncle left him the apartment and unwilling to live in a space that brings up memories of his neglectful family. Nora and Will enter into a playful feud, which involves poetry readings, interviews with local journalists, and rogue kittens all meant to scare Will away from the found family Nora has created after her grandmother's death. Instead, all of these shenanigans endear Will to Nora, and the two slowly begin to fall for one another in spite of Nora's fears of being disloyal to her neighbors. A superb cast of characters rounds out this sweet, slow-burn romance.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Kirkus

      March 1, 2021
      A wronged childhood, a potential youthful romance derailed by the actions of adults, and a hard-won love. Will Sterling is an overworked doctor in Chicago who has carved out a functional life despite his lingering grief over the way his late parents neglected him when he was a child. When he inherits an apartment from an uncle who also abandoned him when he was in need, he's determined to get rid of it and the bad memories it carries as quickly as possible. But there is one good memory associated with the place: Years ago, the only time he ever visited his uncle, he caught a blurred and fleeting glimpse of a girl around his own age on a terrace upstairs, and his teenage heart came alive. Now Nora DeAngelo Clarke has come back into his orbit, though she has no idea they've ever crossed paths before. Web designer Nora, who's inherited her beloved grandmother's apartment, is ready to battle this stranger who threatens to change the character of the close-knit apartment building, her small haven, and the lives of its residents by renting out his new apartment on Airbnb. But underneath the righteousness is her own grief about adults who let her down and an anxiety-laced desire for the stability that the building and her found family there represents. Her initial scheme to sabotage Will's plans gradually folds as their chemistry crackles and they slowly reveal their fragile selves to each other. Clayborn dwells on the gap between her characters' bruised inner lives and their public faces, and the novel is shadowed by that melancholy, making for a Mary Balogh-style love story. The quirky characters who could obstruct--but eventually aid--Will and Nora's journey to coupledom do much to lighten the mood. The comforting rewrite of Romeo and Juliet you didn't know you needed.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from May 7, 2021

      Will is feuding with his neighbor. Actually, he's feuding with all of his neighbors. After inheriting a condo, Will decides to make some changes, changes that are making the condo's other residents panic. Led by the condo association president, Nora, they are delaying, waylaying, and outright sabotaging his efforts to fix up his unit and rent it out. Nora inherited her grandmother's condo unit and hasn't changed a single thing. Why would she? She practically grew up there, and the other residents are like family. When Will moves into the unit below hers and starts emptying it out, Nora can't just stand by and watch. But somehow, unexpectedly, Nora's tricks make Will smile, and instead of pushing them apart, her antics seem to be bringing them closer. It's too bad he's planning to clear out as soon as he clears up. This steamy romantic comedy features a flawed but likable hero and heroine in a second-chance, enemies-to-lovers story. Will and Nora's "feud" is inventive and comical, rather than mean, and their slow-burn romance is realistic. The condo residents are delightfully quirky and get involved in each of Nora's ploys. VERDICT This well-written novel moves quickly, and readers will be unable to put it down. Highly recommended for most public library collections.--Heather Miller Cover, Homewood P.L., AL

      Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading