Cover illustrated by Lila Selle
THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR
A shy bookworm enlists her charming neighbor to help her score a date, not knowing he’s the obscure author she’s been corresponding with, in this sparkling and heart-fluttering romance by Kristina Forest.
Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming a children’s books editor, but she’s been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over email turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain—until he ghosts her without a word.
Months later, Lily is still crushed, but she’s determined to get a hold of her life, starting with finding a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, who she feels drawn to for reasons she can’t explain. But little does she know, Nick is an author—her favorite fantasy author.
Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet girl from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over email months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but—not when he can’t get her off his mind…
"Forest expertly balances this perfectly matched duo’s emotional connection with their physical chemistry, making them easy to cheer on. This is a winner."
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"Warm, witty, and deeply romantic. Kristina Forest is a fantastic storyteller, with an eagle-eye for detail and a knack for crafting lovable characters. It's impossible not to smile while reading this book!"
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“Lily’s battered optimism and Nick’s guarded sadness both mesh and conflict at just the right times, and for all its coincidence-dependent premise, the book breathes easily and pulls you right into its world. Especially recommended for anyone who ships Janine and Gregory from “Abbott Elementary.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Rachel Lynn Solomon, bestselling author of Weather Girl
The New York Times Book Review