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Cider Bar Sisters #1
Her Big City Neighbor
When small-town engineer Amy Sharpe inherits a house in Toronto, she decides it’s the perfect opportunity to start over and go back to school. Away from the family that takes her for granted, away from the ex who expected so much and gave little in return.
The new Amy enjoys wandering around the city and frequenting bubble tea shops, German beer halls, dim sum restaurants, and coffee bars serving Japanese pastries. She has a roommate with the same name as her favorite fictional character, and a group of friends who meet at a cider bar every couple of weeks.
The new Amy is also in lust with her brooding, tattooed next-door neighbor, Victor Choi, who is far from friendly but looks really hot cutting the grass without a shirt. Too bad the grass doesn’t grow faster.
As she starts telling him about her daily adventures—and as a little kissing in the garden becomes a regular activity—Amy begins to feel more than lust. But she fears she’s falling into her old patterns in relationships and refuses to let herself be underappreciated again.
Is Victor really more than a hot fling? And what’s he hiding behind that grumpy exterior?
The new Amy enjoys wandering around the city and frequenting bubble tea shops, German beer halls, dim sum restaurants, and coffee bars serving Japanese pastries. She has a roommate with the same name as her favorite fictional character, and a group of friends who meet at a cider bar every couple of weeks.
The new Amy is also in lust with her brooding, tattooed next-door neighbor, Victor Choi, who is far from friendly but looks really hot cutting the grass without a shirt. Too bad the grass doesn’t grow faster.
As she starts telling him about her daily adventures—and as a little kissing in the garden becomes a regular activity—Amy begins to feel more than lust. But she fears she’s falling into her old patterns in relationships and refuses to let herself be underappreciated again.
Is Victor really more than a hot fling? And what’s he hiding behind that grumpy exterior?
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2020
388 people are currently reading
1485 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Lau
39 books870 followersJackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels.
Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.
Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.
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September 13, 2020A delightful romcom with a grumpy hero and a heroine who is, to be fair, very close to intolerably perky, at least until we see the cracks she's covering with her determination to damn well enjoy her life and appreciate everything around her. Actually, she's fabulous, because she refuses to be brought down and she's learning to assert herself without being a jerk about it. Unicorn mugs and all. Watching the miserable git Victor unwillingly warm up to her polka dots is a delight.
July 22, 2022
Fine, except I felt more chemistry in the romance between Amy+the Toronto Food Scene, lmao, than the couple.
December 9, 2022
3.5 stars! Victor is the grumpiest grump.
September 5, 2020
I am sad that I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other previous Jackie Lau books. I was really excited about it being a sunshine/grumpy pairing and them being neighbors! And it gave me that but the romance didn't really pack a punch for me. It felt so disconnecting? I don't know... I just didn't feel it.
Her Big City Neighbor starts with Amy moving to Toronto after inheriting her great-aunt's house. She is so excited to finally leave the constant mistreatment her family and ex-bf gave her and she is ready to put herself first for once. She's going back to studying, she can't wait to go on walks and visit the city and she wants to become her neighbor's friend. But he's rather grumpy and doesn't really go out... ever so it will be hard but hopefully these two can have their HEA.
Sooooo. First, the sunshine aspect of Amy didn't convince me, you know? It felt forced aS HECK. Constant exclamation marks to make the reader see that she's happy and joyful in contrast with the hero who gave one-word sentences. I did like Amy, she's so cute and she loves going to places and eat really great food, but there was nothing much from that?
The way this book was written, it was like it gave me SO MANY details but told no story. There are so many descriptions of places, food, actions, but little talk between characters. I didn't believe they created such a strong bond to love each other in three months. I love insta-love, you know this!!!! But it has to be believable. They did spend so much time together but they didn't really talk a lot...
Third act breakup... eh. The groveling scene should have been better, that's my opinion! I did like Victor and his family sounded so cute; his sisters and mom are great. I love Amy's friendship group but again the dynamic just felt forced, the conversation very flat and I just wanted Amy to talk to them more or even talk to Sierra more! But the convos were very short and I instantly forgot after changing pages what it was about in the first place.
I am excited and will read the second book in this series. I just saw the cover and it's BEAUTIFUL. The heroine is the grumpy one in this situation and there is a childhood friends trope in this! Also I think they're also neighbors. It sounds really cute and hopefully my experience with it is way better than how it turned out with this one.
I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Her Big City Neighbor starts with Amy moving to Toronto after inheriting her great-aunt's house. She is so excited to finally leave the constant mistreatment her family and ex-bf gave her and she is ready to put herself first for once. She's going back to studying, she can't wait to go on walks and visit the city and she wants to become her neighbor's friend. But he's rather grumpy and doesn't really go out... ever so it will be hard but hopefully these two can have their HEA.
Sooooo. First, the sunshine aspect of Amy didn't convince me, you know? It felt forced aS HECK. Constant exclamation marks to make the reader see that she's happy and joyful in contrast with the hero who gave one-word sentences. I did like Amy, she's so cute and she loves going to places and eat really great food, but there was nothing much from that?
The way this book was written, it was like it gave me SO MANY details but told no story. There are so many descriptions of places, food, actions, but little talk between characters. I didn't believe they created such a strong bond to love each other in three months. I love insta-love, you know this!!!! But it has to be believable. They did spend so much time together but they didn't really talk a lot...
Third act breakup... eh. The groveling scene should have been better, that's my opinion! I did like Victor and his family sounded so cute; his sisters and mom are great. I love Amy's friendship group but again the dynamic just felt forced, the conversation very flat and I just wanted Amy to talk to them more or even talk to Sierra more! But the convos were very short and I instantly forgot after changing pages what it was about in the first place.
I am excited and will read the second book in this series. I just saw the cover and it's BEAUTIFUL. The heroine is the grumpy one in this situation and there is a childhood friends trope in this! Also I think they're also neighbors. It sounds really cute and hopefully my experience with it is way better than how it turned out with this one.
I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
May 21, 2021
This was ok but a lot was missing for me. What I liked: the 2 MCs were "older", they were neighbors and that always works! The group of girlfriends and Amy shining personality. I liked their families and how they both handled that aspect of their lives. The amount of food described, if that's your thing go for it! She eats out ALL the time and is ready to try everything. I really liked that the story takes place over +3 months.
What did not quite work: something was missing from the relationship development. When they are on their dates we don't know what they talk about, we don't see it and it's not summarized, see it was difficult to feel the connection outside the bedroom. We don't see them getting to know each other, not in a meaningful way. The pacing was formulaic (I knew that going in because this author is pretty predictable in that regard) but in this one it did not really work.
All in all a perfectly fine bridge book but nothing to write home about
What did not quite work: something was missing from the relationship development. When they are on their dates we don't know what they talk about, we don't see it and it's not summarized, see it was difficult to feel the connection outside the bedroom. We don't see them getting to know each other, not in a meaningful way. The pacing was formulaic (I knew that going in because this author is pretty predictable in that regard) but in this one it did not really work.
All in all a perfectly fine bridge book but nothing to write home about
September 9, 2020
I really wanted to love this book. I mean, Amy is an engineer!! And what a cute set-up: she moves to Toronto for grad school, and her neighbor, Victor, is a hottie, grumpy recluse of a man. And of course she brings him out of his shell. This is Jackie Lau, so there is a lot of food. (More food than usual, actually.) And I did enjoy reading this (and I'm only just realizing now that WOW I bought it the day it was released!), but I can't say I loved it.
I believed that Amy and Victor were perfect together, and I really felt for them during the Obligatory Misunderstanding portion of the story, but I never really felt that spark that makes a really good romance novel. The dialogue was a little forced. Amy was prone to blurting out things that most adults would not say just after meeting someone (such as: "may I sit on your lap?") and Victor, for all his grumpiness, also seems extremely forthcoming about his attraction to his new neighbor. That part was not super believable. I wish this book had a bit more in the way of a lead-up to the relationship, and more believable dialogue.
Amy's enthusiasm for new foods was great, but ... what kind of sheltered life has she lead? She's 28 and she's never had: fresh ramen, bubble tea, scotch, blue cheese or mushrooms or tzatziki sauce on a burger, or sauerkraut? who has never had sauerkraut?
And that bit about her being an engineer never really came into play. She brushed up on her Fortran prior to the start of class, because her project would involve "reviewing and modifying some old code," and that's completely plausible, but that - and Amy's enthusiasm about reinforced concrete - is all we get. I guess I kind of knew that would be the case.
I believed that Amy and Victor were perfect together, and I really felt for them during the Obligatory Misunderstanding portion of the story, but I never really felt that spark that makes a really good romance novel. The dialogue was a little forced. Amy was prone to blurting out things that most adults would not say just after meeting someone (such as: "may I sit on your lap?") and Victor, for all his grumpiness, also seems extremely forthcoming about his attraction to his new neighbor. That part was not super believable. I wish this book had a bit more in the way of a lead-up to the relationship, and more believable dialogue.
Amy's enthusiasm for new foods was great, but ... what kind of sheltered life has she lead? She's 28 and she's never had: fresh ramen, bubble tea, scotch, blue cheese or mushrooms or tzatziki sauce on a burger, or sauerkraut? who has never had sauerkraut?
And that bit about her being an engineer never really came into play. She brushed up on her Fortran prior to the start of class, because her project would involve "reviewing and modifying some old code," and that's completely plausible, but that - and Amy's enthusiasm about reinforced concrete - is all we get. I guess I kind of knew that would be the case.
July 25, 2024
I've read the second book in this series, about grumpy Charlotte, which I thought was delightful. Based on that book, I decided that I wanted to read more of Jackie Lau's work.
But I didn't like Amy and Victor's story much. I like the broody hero - and Victor was one big brooder. Amy, on the other hand, was just too perky. So much so that it felt forced. Those constant "oohs" when she got excited about something new got tired. Fine, she wanted to make friends with everyone, but also for everyone to like her. She was a people pleaser and yet . I just couldn't see Victor falling for that.
Coming from a small town, Amy is unworldly and often childlike in action. (Sorry, adult women should not like unicorns.) But sometimes, she also came across as someone with a mental age of a child, which made all the sex pretty disturbing.
There was a lot of detail of the food everyone ate, which is nice to read, but I can't believe that there were common things that Amy had never eaten... like mushrooms on burgers?!
The lovefest began quite quickly, but there was very little real bonding, let alone a spark. Amy and Victor didn't have any deep conversations and most of the time, we are told what happened, not shown.
May 11, 2021
Okay, so 1) this book made me hungry 2) I did keep wondering how the heroine was financing her going out to eat habit 3) I really liked it, yes the hero had a dumb moment and I'm not always a grand gesture person, but this was a good one and I got it. Really want to read the others in the series when they're available!
February 17, 2022
Note: This ebook is free on Amazon right now (2/17/22). I don't know if that's temporary or permanent, but if this book appeals to you, you should grab it!
This is the second book I've read by Jackie Lau. I read Bidding for the Bachelor a few months ago, which was her first m/m book and a light and breezy read. So I expected something similar here, but I'd call this one, which is m/f, much weightier. Still, it does have a very uplifting tone overall. The characters feel real, although the lives they lead seem like fantasies to me. But that can be a fun aspect of reading romance, and I enjoyed it a lot here.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. She's done many audiobooks but this was my first time listening to one of her narrations, and I really liked her. She performs distinct voices for all the characters.
Victor and Amy's romance really captured me, and I totally believed in their happy ending. This is a grumpy + sunshine pairing, and it has everything I like about that sort of romance. Amy and Victor are both remarkably empathetic towards each other, and really, towards everyone in their lives. This is definitely unrealistic, but I liked this trait in romantic leads. They're always respectful of one another.
Amy is from a small town and inherits a house in downtown Toronto. She decides to go to grad school and live there. She's very excited about the change in her circumstances. She's an extremely enthusiastic person. If that is not your preference in romance reading, steer clear of this book! I can imagine her relentless cheer becoming annoying to some readers; I might've felt that way too if I'd approached this in a different state of mind. Instead, she really charmed me. I liked traveling along with her as she explored Toronto. There are so many wonderful and detailed food descriptions, often from Amy's perspective, and she's so happy about all the new food, especially the desserts.
Amy's family have always relied on her to do a lot of unpaid work, so her main challenge in this book is overcoming the guilt she feels (and that they encourage her to feel) about moving away to the city. Without spoiling anything, I loved the way this plot thread was resolved, as well as how it informed the choices she made throughout the book. I don't have much personal experience of being in this kind of situation, but I have known many people, especially women, who struggle with it. This aspect of the book was really satisfying to me.
Victor is just as well-drawn, although it felt at first like his PoV chapters were shorter than Amy's. That evened out as the book continued. His perspective had more relevance to me personally than Amy's. He is dealing with grief and has closed himself off to close relationships. This is a commonplace character arc for a romance lead, but I thought it was done exceptionally well here. Because of the excellent writing, I felt his loss and how it had shaped his whole life, and I also related to a lot of his lingering issues. I did think he should seek out therapy (therapy is not mentioned in the book), but it was believable that he was able to face his problems, with support from family and friends.
To me, this has a medium-to-high heat level. There are a decent amount of sex scenes. Some are unusual, and they're almost all emotionally intense.
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm very happy that Jackie Lau has a few audiobooks available now. Looking forward to continuing to enjoy her work.
This is the second book I've read by Jackie Lau. I read Bidding for the Bachelor a few months ago, which was her first m/m book and a light and breezy read. So I expected something similar here, but I'd call this one, which is m/f, much weightier. Still, it does have a very uplifting tone overall. The characters feel real, although the lives they lead seem like fantasies to me. But that can be a fun aspect of reading romance, and I enjoyed it a lot here.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Woo Zeller. She's done many audiobooks but this was my first time listening to one of her narrations, and I really liked her. She performs distinct voices for all the characters.
Victor and Amy's romance really captured me, and I totally believed in their happy ending. This is a grumpy + sunshine pairing, and it has everything I like about that sort of romance. Amy and Victor are both remarkably empathetic towards each other, and really, towards everyone in their lives. This is definitely unrealistic, but I liked this trait in romantic leads. They're always respectful of one another.
Amy is from a small town and inherits a house in downtown Toronto. She decides to go to grad school and live there. She's very excited about the change in her circumstances. She's an extremely enthusiastic person. If that is not your preference in romance reading, steer clear of this book! I can imagine her relentless cheer becoming annoying to some readers; I might've felt that way too if I'd approached this in a different state of mind. Instead, she really charmed me. I liked traveling along with her as she explored Toronto. There are so many wonderful and detailed food descriptions, often from Amy's perspective, and she's so happy about all the new food, especially the desserts.
Amy's family have always relied on her to do a lot of unpaid work, so her main challenge in this book is overcoming the guilt she feels (and that they encourage her to feel) about moving away to the city. Without spoiling anything, I loved the way this plot thread was resolved, as well as how it informed the choices she made throughout the book. I don't have much personal experience of being in this kind of situation, but I have known many people, especially women, who struggle with it. This aspect of the book was really satisfying to me.
Victor is just as well-drawn, although it felt at first like his PoV chapters were shorter than Amy's. That evened out as the book continued. His perspective had more relevance to me personally than Amy's. He is dealing with grief and has closed himself off to close relationships. This is a commonplace character arc for a romance lead, but I thought it was done exceptionally well here. Because of the excellent writing, I felt his loss and how it had shaped his whole life, and I also related to a lot of his lingering issues. I did think he should seek out therapy (therapy is not mentioned in the book), but it was believable that he was able to face his problems, with support from family and friends.
To me, this has a medium-to-high heat level. There are a decent amount of sex scenes. Some are unusual, and they're almost all emotionally intense.
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm very happy that Jackie Lau has a few audiobooks available now. Looking forward to continuing to enjoy her work.
February 20, 2022
Grumpy-meets-SUPER sunshine where sunshine moves to the big city from a small town, eats all the delicious food, and manages to woo her neighbor. Do not read if hungry.
I was so pleased to see a story of “small town girl moves to the city and loves it” as someone who has lived that experience IRL. Amy is tremendously sunshiney and it can be a little much at times—I was glad she learned to stand up for herself throughout the book. Her family really sucks and I could have done with way less of them on page.
The writing was a bit choppy and disjointed at the beginning, but I did feel it improved as the book went on.
I was so pleased to see a story of “small town girl moves to the city and loves it” as someone who has lived that experience IRL. Amy is tremendously sunshiney and it can be a little much at times—I was glad she learned to stand up for herself throughout the book. Her family really sucks and I could have done with way less of them on page.
The writing was a bit choppy and disjointed at the beginning, but I did feel it improved as the book went on.
September 3, 2020
A sparkly and quirky engineering graduate student moves into her inherited Victorian side by side and falls for the grump next door.
I really loved the details of the story, a STEM heroine who is both really into bridges but also into polka dots, unicorns, and ladybugs AND who is learning to assert her needs in relationships familial and romantic. A grumpy hero grieving for his brother who died a couple years prior. So many delicious food descriptions, basically a love letter to the Toronto foodie scene.
But, for all the grand details, I never sunk into the story or the characters. The excellent details didn't translate into emotional connection. I enjoyed reading about the heroine's family and friend interactions more than the romance.
I received a free copy from the author for review.
I really loved the details of the story, a STEM heroine who is both really into bridges but also into polka dots, unicorns, and ladybugs AND who is learning to assert her needs in relationships familial and romantic. A grumpy hero grieving for his brother who died a couple years prior. So many delicious food descriptions, basically a love letter to the Toronto foodie scene.
But, for all the grand details, I never sunk into the story or the characters. The excellent details didn't translate into emotional connection. I enjoyed reading about the heroine's family and friend interactions more than the romance.
I received a free copy from the author for review.
August 31, 2020
I received an ARC of this book to read through a review crew. All opinions are my own. Her Big City Neighbour is the first book in Jackie Lau’s delightful new series Cider Bar Series. As a polka dot, ladybug, unicorn mug loving person who was born in Sudbury and who has a large number of family members who are engineers from Queens University, I felt a bit seen while reading this book. Amy Sharpe has inherited a house in downtown Toronto from her great-aunt, and this inheritance has allowed her to figure out what she wants from her life and escape from the demands of family in her small northern Ontario hometown that were beginning to make her feel smothered. To cope with the immense grief he felt after his brother died, Victor Choi has edited his life to things he can control. Victor goes to work, comes home, occasionally meets an old friend for a drink and talks to his family on the phone. So when the bubbly woman next door attempts to be friendly, his walls go up, but as time passes, things about her that he found annoying no longer do, and when they begin a friendship, and that friendship becomes something more, it terrifies him.
I enjoyed reading this book very much and recommend it not only for the story but for the food. I can’t wait for my next trip to Toronto to try out some of the wonderful food mentioned in the book. Low Angst, Medium Steam. Publishing Date: September 8, 2020. #HerBigCityNeighbour #JackieLau #CanadianRomance #bookstagram #bookstagramer #ContemporaryRomance #IndieBooks
I enjoyed reading this book very much and recommend it not only for the story but for the food. I can’t wait for my next trip to Toronto to try out some of the wonderful food mentioned in the book. Low Angst, Medium Steam. Publishing Date: September 8, 2020. #HerBigCityNeighbour #JackieLau #CanadianRomance #bookstagram #bookstagramer #ContemporaryRomance #IndieBooks
April 3, 2024
Listened to the audio edition. An inter race relationship. Next door neighbours. Canadian. Borrowed from Hoopla. Opposites attract. He’s shy and reserved. She’s upbeat vivacious and super friendly. At first she was annoying but she gradually grew on him. The MC’s are Victor Choi 39, owns a software development company and Amy 30 an engineer going back for her Master’s and just moved in next door in Toronto. He lost his brother and business partner 5 years ago and she moved from her small hometown near Sudbury leaving her family and an ex boyfriend to start a new life in her Aunt’s house she inherited. It is cute and quirky with ladybugs 🐞 and unicorns 🦄. I gave this 4 stars.
May 22, 2021
3 stars.
Not the best Jackie Lau I’ve read. The sentence-to-sentence writing as a bit clunky, and the scenes often felt like lists of events rather than actual scenes.
I really liked our grumpy hero for most of the book, but he was a total butt during the 80% crisis (which felt completely unnecessary, but that’s a different complaint).
Lau does know how to make her readers hungry, though. I can’t imagine how she wrote this without a snack constantly at hand.
Steam: 2.5/5🔥
Not the best Jackie Lau I’ve read. The sentence-to-sentence writing as a bit clunky, and the scenes often felt like lists of events rather than actual scenes.
I really liked our grumpy hero for most of the book, but he was a total butt during the 80% crisis (which felt completely unnecessary, but that’s a different complaint).
Lau does know how to make her readers hungry, though. I can’t imagine how she wrote this without a snack constantly at hand.
Steam: 2.5/5🔥
June 6, 2021
Grumpy/sunshine with amazing food descriptions, Amy is a civil engineer, Victor is a software developer. Charming and fun. I really liked the story line of Amy leaving her small town where she is taken for granted and taking control of her life, even though her family members give her guilt trips. Watching her bloom in Toronto is so gratifying, and I loved the friends she makes and that she's a reader!
Now i want gelato.
Now i want gelato.
August 7, 2022
3.5 stars. Amy is a super sunshine heroine, but to me her enthusiasm for her new life was mostly sweet and infectious. Interested in more in the series!
June 6, 2022
The best thing about Her Big City Neighbor is the foodie tour of Toronto that occurs through the book. Everything sounded delicious. I also enjoyed all the Canada references even though Amy's hometown was made up. (And I've stopped at number of times at the Tim Horton she references that's north of Sudbury.)
It's a bit of a comfort read - easy, and except for the silly Bleak Moment, without excess drama. However it was also missing a plot. Hence the 3 star review.
Also, a number of other reviews have commented on Amy's ability to eat her way through Toronto without any discernable income, and I completely agree with that point. But also, she inherited a $2M house - how can she pay for the property taxes and insurance???
The narration was by Emily Woo Zeller. She is always fantastic.
It's a bit of a comfort read - easy, and except for the silly Bleak Moment, without excess drama. However it was also missing a plot. Hence the 3 star review.
Also, a number of other reviews have commented on Amy's ability to eat her way through Toronto without any discernable income, and I completely agree with that point. But also, she inherited a $2M house - how can she pay for the property taxes and insurance???
The narration was by Emily Woo Zeller. She is always fantastic.
September 14, 2021
I knew this book would be fun because I've never read a Jackie Lau that wasn't fun😛. In this one, I felt like the author was a tourist guide, talking to me about Toronto's cool places and great food. The romance was still the best part. A sunshine/grump love story.
Amy is thirty, she study in civil engineering, she loves ladybug and she just inherited a semi-detached Victorian house from a great aunt. Aunt Frances had a surprising life that her niece didn't know about. Her neighbor is almost forty, was born in Hong Kong but lived all his life in Canada. A software developer who prefers to be left alone. But there's something about Amy's positive energy that is just too hard to resist and soon, Victor find himself smiling.
I was smiling too as I was reading about Amy and Victor obvious chemistry🙂.
Amy is thirty, she study in civil engineering, she loves ladybug and she just inherited a semi-detached Victorian house from a great aunt. Aunt Frances had a surprising life that her niece didn't know about. Her neighbor is almost forty, was born in Hong Kong but lived all his life in Canada. A software developer who prefers to be left alone. But there's something about Amy's positive energy that is just too hard to resist and soon, Victor find himself smiling.
I was smiling too as I was reading about Amy and Victor obvious chemistry🙂.
May 25, 2022
This was fine but not really anything particularly groundbreaking. I think the food featured in the story had more personality than most of the characters. Still a fairly sweet story about a woman moving to a new city, hooking up with a good guy, and things generally working out for her. Nothing wrong with any of that.
September 8, 2020
3.5
first off, let's talk about that delicious age gap. i'm not usually a fan of age gap romances but this one is just *chef's kiss*. it just added more spice to their romance.
amy's pov was really enjoyable to read. she's not overbearing but she's also not a doormat. i like all her quirky items like her ladybug umbrella and the rainbow unicorn mug victor gave her. another thing that i like about her pov is all the mentions of food (even though they made me hungry all the time). the first thing i'll do after this pandemic is eat xiao long bao! :<
overall this book was a really enjoyable read and i can't wait for the other books in the series 👁. in the meantime, i'll check out jackie's other series.
ARC generously provided by author.
first off, let's talk about that delicious age gap. i'm not usually a fan of age gap romances but this one is just *chef's kiss*. it just added more spice to their romance.
amy's pov was really enjoyable to read. she's not overbearing but she's also not a doormat. i like all her quirky items like her ladybug umbrella and the rainbow unicorn mug victor gave her. another thing that i like about her pov is all the mentions of food (even though they made me hungry all the time). the first thing i'll do after this pandemic is eat xiao long bao! :<
overall this book was a really enjoyable read and i can't wait for the other books in the series 👁. in the meantime, i'll check out jackie's other series.
ARC generously provided by author.
August 29, 2022
This was cute in an over the top way. Grumpy sunshine is one of my favorite tropes but this was a bit much. I felt like both of our MCs could have used some decent therapy. Also, Amy’s POV often felt like a stream of consciousness….of a happy squirrel? I don’t know but it was pretty distracting. 2.5 stars.
May 19, 2022
Representation: Chinese Canadian Hero, Asian Canadian supporting characters
Overall: 3.5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
Overall: 3.5-stars
Safety Rating: Safe
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
December 31, 2024
Her Big City Neighbor was a phenomenal opposites attract romance with amazing characters.
Amy Sharpe views Toronto as her chance to start over and escape from the family that takes her for granted and the ex who gave her nothing in return. After arriving in Toronto Amy enjoys wandering the city, trying out new foods, and meeting a group of friends who meet at a cider bar every few weeks. One of her favorite new experiences is Victor Choi, her brooding neighbor and as Amy spends her nights talking to Victor about her days, she finds herself falling hard and fast.
Amy has always been a giver and her family as well as her ex-boyfriend expected Amy to do anything they needed. It was horrible the way they took advantage of her and I loved when Amy eventually stood up for herself and what she wanted. Plus the scene with her mom after that happened was simply fantastic and I loved it. Victor has become a bit of a recluse in the last few years after a family loss which was perfectly understandable. His grumpy, brooding nature is there in large part to protect himself from getting hurt. And the way Victor retreats into himself was very relatable.
Amy and Victor's relationship plays on the opposites attract and grumpy/sunshine tropes which are two tropes I really enjoy. I loved Victor's sheer bafflement over Amy's bubbly personality and watching him adapt to it was nice. I also really liked that while Amy loved being around people, she understood why Victor would need time alone to recharge and there were no issues with her giving him space or him asking for it. Both Amy and Victor have some issues that become apparent after they get involved with each other and while I didn't love the third act breakup, I liked how the two worked through it. The chemistry between Amy and Victor is simply phenomenal and the steamy scenes are incredibly well done.
Amy's friend group is fantastic and I love that this series is based around the members of the group finding love. If you're looking for a series with a great, supportive female friend group then this series definitely fits the bill.
Overall I loved Her Big City Neighbor and I can't wait for the next book in the series, His Grumpy Childhood Friend, to release. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a great contemporary romance.
**I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
Amy Sharpe views Toronto as her chance to start over and escape from the family that takes her for granted and the ex who gave her nothing in return. After arriving in Toronto Amy enjoys wandering the city, trying out new foods, and meeting a group of friends who meet at a cider bar every few weeks. One of her favorite new experiences is Victor Choi, her brooding neighbor and as Amy spends her nights talking to Victor about her days, she finds herself falling hard and fast.
Amy has always been a giver and her family as well as her ex-boyfriend expected Amy to do anything they needed. It was horrible the way they took advantage of her and I loved when Amy eventually stood up for herself and what she wanted. Plus the scene with her mom after that happened was simply fantastic and I loved it. Victor has become a bit of a recluse in the last few years after a family loss which was perfectly understandable. His grumpy, brooding nature is there in large part to protect himself from getting hurt. And the way Victor retreats into himself was very relatable.
Amy and Victor's relationship plays on the opposites attract and grumpy/sunshine tropes which are two tropes I really enjoy. I loved Victor's sheer bafflement over Amy's bubbly personality and watching him adapt to it was nice. I also really liked that while Amy loved being around people, she understood why Victor would need time alone to recharge and there were no issues with her giving him space or him asking for it. Both Amy and Victor have some issues that become apparent after they get involved with each other and while I didn't love the third act breakup, I liked how the two worked through it. The chemistry between Amy and Victor is simply phenomenal and the steamy scenes are incredibly well done.
Amy's friend group is fantastic and I love that this series is based around the members of the group finding love. If you're looking for a series with a great, supportive female friend group then this series definitely fits the bill.
Overall I loved Her Big City Neighbor and I can't wait for the next book in the series, His Grumpy Childhood Friend, to release. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a great contemporary romance.
**I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
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August 17, 2022
3.5⭐️ rounded up. Honesty first - this one didn't start out well and I felt like it could have gone to the DNF pile PDQ. Amy was a bit too quirky a FMC for my taste and she was beginning to grate.
Well...I am certainly glad I kept going because this is quite possibly one of the most real relationships I've read with very normal sex, which made me enjoy it so much more than some of the more 'fantastical' contemporary romances I've read! No 10" logs or tight channels here, but the realism just made it hotter for me.
Steam aside, the writing style was a bit clunky and simple for my taste. There were lots of smaller sentences and way too many '!!!'. I also found that the characters read a bit younger than their actual ages (I mean, MMC is pushing 40). I really liked the FMC - she wasn't a doormat and it was nice to see her evolve and stand up for herself in all aspects of her life. What started as grating quirky became endearing to me because she's done with all of life's BS.
Overall, a good, quick read.
Well...I am certainly glad I kept going because this is quite possibly one of the most real relationships I've read with very normal sex, which made me enjoy it so much more than some of the more 'fantastical' contemporary romances I've read! No 10" logs or tight channels here, but the realism just made it hotter for me.
Steam aside, the writing style was a bit clunky and simple for my taste. There were lots of smaller sentences and way too many '!!!'. I also found that the characters read a bit younger than their actual ages (I mean, MMC is pushing 40). I really liked the FMC - she wasn't a doormat and it was nice to see her evolve and stand up for herself in all aspects of her life. What started as grating quirky became endearing to me because she's done with all of life's BS.
Overall, a good, quick read.
July 5, 2021
this was super cute!! Really fun contemporary romance
Content/Trigger Warnings: grieving past death of a sibling, complicated (ie: they take her for granted) family relationship, alcohol
Content Notes: Amy is a 28yo straight white woman (I think she's 28!) and Victor is a 39yo straight Korean man.
Content/Trigger Warnings: grieving past death of a sibling, complicated (ie: they take her for granted) family relationship, alcohol
Content Notes: Amy is a 28yo straight white woman (I think she's 28!) and Victor is a 39yo straight Korean man.
December 27, 2021
Awesome romcom with the grumpy-sunshine trope.
This book was cozy, light, fun, sweet and sexy, totally a page turner. I loved all the descriptions about yummy food and the tour of Toronto ❤
It was my first book by Jackie Lau and definitely not the last as I really enjoyed reading this one.
This book was cozy, light, fun, sweet and sexy, totally a page turner. I loved all the descriptions about yummy food and the tour of Toronto ❤
It was my first book by Jackie Lau and definitely not the last as I really enjoyed reading this one.
August 25, 2020
Jackie Lau has started a new series set in Toronto, the Cider Bar Sisters. The Cider Bar Sisters are a group of friends. Most of them met at the engineering program in college. I'm very excited about this series. I received an arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Her Big City Neighbor introduces Amy to the Sisters. Amy inherits a house in Toronto and takes it as an opportunity to put some distance between herself and her small town family who take for granted. She quickly acquires Sierra Wu, one of the Cider Bar Sisters, as a housemate and lays eyes on her hot neighbor, Victor Choi, mowing his lawn shirtless. She is not shy about ogling, and Victor is not above flirting with yard work.
Victor starts off irritated by her laugh and her perkiness, but admires her cleavage. Amy is determined to make him her friend, and she does. Through persistence, he comes to like her, and not just lustfully. It took me a minute to get to like Amy too. Initially she did seem overly perky, but she grew on me. She does look for rainbows and unicorns, but she accepts the raccoons in trash cans too. I liked that Amy is honest and upfront about what she wants from her new life in Toronto and from Victor.
I don't really care if characters meet through sex, or let it build until almost the end of the book, or anything in between. I care that it works for the characters and the story. Amy and Victor work their way from flirting, to making out, to sex and it works for both the characters and the story. The very best moments in Her Big City Neighbor are when Amy and Victor are together, whether she is horrifying him with her sunshine, or they are being tender with one another. Almost all of their interactions simmer with desire and affection. Lau has a real gift for writing lustful patience - you know they want each other badly, but they are willing to wait until they are comfortable with taking the next step. I do enjoy a couple that is so openly horny for one another.
There is a 3rd act breakup, and you know it's going to happen, because you know Victor's fears will get in the way of his happiness. Lau often explores grief and fear of vulnerability in her books, both in her male and female characters. In Her Big City Neighbor, Victor and his family are still grieving the sudden death of his younger brother. Having experienced the loss of his brother, he is afraid to make himself vulnerable to emotions. His emotional drama runs into Amy's standards. While the bar for men may be on the floor, Amy is unwilling to be in a relationship with a man who isn't as invested as she is. For all her surface lightness, she has a spine of steel. She sets out to create a space for herself, to make friends, to have adventures, and she does.
I always want to describe Lau's books as fluffy and low angst, because I find them tremendously comforting. The truth is, her characters always have some pathos to work through before they can be part of a healthy couple. Victor has some heavy emotional weight, as does Amy, for all that she is rainbows and ladybugs.
Her Big City Neighbor introduces Amy to the Sisters. Amy inherits a house in Toronto and takes it as an opportunity to put some distance between herself and her small town family who take for granted. She quickly acquires Sierra Wu, one of the Cider Bar Sisters, as a housemate and lays eyes on her hot neighbor, Victor Choi, mowing his lawn shirtless. She is not shy about ogling, and Victor is not above flirting with yard work.
The next day, Victor cut the grass.
Strictly speaking, he probably didn’t need to cut the grass...When he turned off the lawn mower, he glanced next door, and he couldn’t help the pleasure that swelled in him when he saw Amy staring at him, her lips parted.
Victor starts off irritated by her laugh and her perkiness, but admires her cleavage. Amy is determined to make him her friend, and she does. Through persistence, he comes to like her, and not just lustfully. It took me a minute to get to like Amy too. Initially she did seem overly perky, but she grew on me. She does look for rainbows and unicorns, but she accepts the raccoons in trash cans too. I liked that Amy is honest and upfront about what she wants from her new life in Toronto and from Victor.
I don't really care if characters meet through sex, or let it build until almost the end of the book, or anything in between. I care that it works for the characters and the story. Amy and Victor work their way from flirting, to making out, to sex and it works for both the characters and the story. The very best moments in Her Big City Neighbor are when Amy and Victor are together, whether she is horrifying him with her sunshine, or they are being tender with one another. Almost all of their interactions simmer with desire and affection. Lau has a real gift for writing lustful patience - you know they want each other badly, but they are willing to wait until they are comfortable with taking the next step. I do enjoy a couple that is so openly horny for one another.
There is a 3rd act breakup, and you know it's going to happen, because you know Victor's fears will get in the way of his happiness. Lau often explores grief and fear of vulnerability in her books, both in her male and female characters. In Her Big City Neighbor, Victor and his family are still grieving the sudden death of his younger brother. Having experienced the loss of his brother, he is afraid to make himself vulnerable to emotions. His emotional drama runs into Amy's standards. While the bar for men may be on the floor, Amy is unwilling to be in a relationship with a man who isn't as invested as she is. For all her surface lightness, she has a spine of steel. She sets out to create a space for herself, to make friends, to have adventures, and she does.
I always want to describe Lau's books as fluffy and low angst, because I find them tremendously comforting. The truth is, her characters always have some pathos to work through before they can be part of a healthy couple. Victor has some heavy emotional weight, as does Amy, for all that she is rainbows and ladybugs.
November 13, 2023
I found Jackie Lau's holiday books while trying to find more diverse holiday romances and saw my library had audiobooks of so many of her works! This one caught my eye so I decided this will be my introduction to her backlog!
At 30 years old, Amy Sharpe moves from her town of two thousand people to Toronto after inheriting her Great Aunts house. She promises herself she will make a new life for herself outside of her overbearing family's sphere. There she meets her grumpy yet hot neighbor Victor Choi and slowly starts to build a relationship with him...
The Good
I liked Amy immediately. She was so bright and charming! I loved seeing her overcoming her people pleasing ways and try to become who she wanted to be. Victor was a good grump. I liked how obsessed he became with Amy when when it was begrudgingly. I really liked in the second half where Amy and Victor really opened up to each other and became vulnerable. They had a couple minor issues and difficulties but they were resolved easily and it made their relationship feel more real. I loved watching Amy grow and stand up for herself! It was amazing. Being a people pleaser is really hard. Breaking away from the expectations of others after always being a pushover makes those who have taken advantage of you want you to return to being who you were when it benefited them and they can't adjust right away.
The Bad
I hate a third act break up I'm sorry especially done almost 90% into the book. It made sense but also made me roll my eyes. I know people love the big gestures at the end but I prefer a break up earlier in the book if it must happen and then actual groveling.
Tropes:
— Neighbors
— Grumpy x sunshine
— Friends to Lovers
Horn Level: 4/5🌶️
Format: Audiobook
The Rating
I give this book a 4/5🌟 rating. I really liked this couple and this sweet romance! I can't wait to read more from Jackie Lau!
Check out my socials here for more reviews!
At 30 years old, Amy Sharpe moves from her town of two thousand people to Toronto after inheriting her Great Aunts house. She promises herself she will make a new life for herself outside of her overbearing family's sphere. There she meets her grumpy yet hot neighbor Victor Choi and slowly starts to build a relationship with him...
The Good
I liked Amy immediately. She was so bright and charming! I loved seeing her overcoming her people pleasing ways and try to become who she wanted to be. Victor was a good grump. I liked how obsessed he became with Amy when when it was begrudgingly. I really liked in the second half where Amy and Victor really opened up to each other and became vulnerable. They had a couple minor issues and difficulties but they were resolved easily and it made their relationship feel more real. I loved watching Amy grow and stand up for herself! It was amazing. Being a people pleaser is really hard. Breaking away from the expectations of others after always being a pushover makes those who have taken advantage of you want you to return to being who you were when it benefited them and they can't adjust right away.
The Bad
I hate a third act break up I'm sorry especially done almost 90% into the book. It made sense but also made me roll my eyes. I know people love the big gestures at the end but I prefer a break up earlier in the book if it must happen and then actual groveling.
Tropes:
— Neighbors
— Grumpy x sunshine
— Friends to Lovers
Horn Level: 4/5🌶️
Format: Audiobook
The Rating
I give this book a 4/5🌟 rating. I really liked this couple and this sweet romance! I can't wait to read more from Jackie Lau!
Check out my socials here for more reviews!
December 7, 2021
This one was very cute! I loved how Amy looked at moving to Toronto, it was a big adventure, one it seems like she was waiting her whole life for. Her enthusiasm to try all sorts of new foods, to do new things, to see new things made me wish that I was by her side and could join her. Amy was just as determined to win over her new neighbor Victor. I really wasn't sure about Victor when we first met him, he was standoffish and a bit rude. But as the book went on he won me over. I liked that Amy could pull him out of his resting state of grumpy and bring him back to life. I hated the stupid boy move he made towards the end of the book, glad that his mother and sisters were there to help pull his head out of his ass before he totally lost the best thing in his life, Amy. The ending made me smile, loved how Victor won Amy back with the help of her friends and that the two of them were meeting each others families. I only wished we could get those scenes.
October 16, 2022
Thoughts on family, especially long-distance family and still being part of their lives.
Also, many things on standing up for what you want/need and not being afraid to talk things through.
I love the support she gets through her accidental roomie and her college friends. It's also neat to see a bunch of women who studied engineering and then went on to different paths in life.
Lots of food, especially different foods from many different areas of the world.
Oh, and CIDER, of course. I'm very much on the "fruit juice with alcohol" team, rather than Charlotte's "extremely dry" team. But cool to see people in books drinking something I like to drink.
Also, many things on standing up for what you want/need and not being afraid to talk things through.
I love the support she gets through her accidental roomie and her college friends. It's also neat to see a bunch of women who studied engineering and then went on to different paths in life.
Lots of food, especially different foods from many different areas of the world.
Oh, and CIDER, of course. I'm very much on the "fruit juice with alcohol" team, rather than Charlotte's "extremely dry" team. But cool to see people in books drinking something I like to drink.
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