Moving back home was never part of Lia’s plan. But then again, neither was everything falling apart. Now she’s back in the seaside town she swore she’d outgrown – living with her parents, sleeping in her teenage bedroom, and trying not to think too hard about the life she left behind in London.
At first, it’s exactly as she feared: the same pub, the same people, the same routines. Comfortingly familiar and yet completely suffocating. Until one slightly chaotic night leads to her getting locked in a pub toilet with a handsome stranger. He’s charming, funny, mysterious – and gone before she even learns his name.
In a town this small, he’s bound to turn up eventually – but when he does, Lia realises it’s going to be far more complicated than she thought.
When her past and present start to collide, Lia has a choice: keep chasing the life she thought she wanted, or stay put and see what happens when the sparks start flying.
Penny Huff and Jack Craig are neighbors by floor plan…and enemies by choice.
Thanks to a tragically thin wall in their NYC apartment building, Penny knows far too much about Jack—like his taste in too-loud music, the noxious fumes from his kitchen, and his habit of suspiciously aggressive vacuuming. And she knows all about the tearful brunette fleeing his apartment the day he moved in—the one crying about her cheating ex. Not even Jack’s piratical charm can undo what Penny knows: the man is bad news.
When her attempt to get the wall soundproofed literally blows a hole in it, the two are forced into a DIY disaster that traps them in each other’s lives…and spaces. With eviction looming, prank wars escalating, and unexpected sparks flying, Penny starts to suspect her insufferable neighbor might just be the plot twist her love life needs.
This book is about two stubborn neighbours whose constant bickering slowly transforms into something far more tender, emotional, and impossible to ignore. It delivers a charming slow-burn romance packed with humour, vulnerability, and genuine emotional growth.
Penny is trying hard to build a stable life in New York, even while struggling with pressure from her mother and the realities of city living. Her biggest problem, however, is Jack—the frustratingly attractive neighbour she can hear through paper-thin walls. Their rivalry quickly becomes entertaining, filled with petty competitions and sharp banter, but once an accident forces them into close quarters, the emotional walls between them begin to crack too.
What makes this story stand out is how imperfect and human the characters feel. Penny and Jack both make mistakes, yet their personal growth feels believable and rewarding. The supporting cast also adds depth instead of simply cheering the romance along. The slow-burn tension is deliciously drawn out, making every vulnerable moment land beautifully. Lumani also weaves Armenian family dynamics and culture into the story with warmth, humour, and authenticity.
