The Neighbor Favor by Kristina ForestThe Greene Sisters #1Book Review by Mariah V. (Chapter and Charms)

💻📚 You’ve Got Mail Meets Modern Romance 😍

“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 The Neighbor Favor, Kristina Forest crafts a heartwarming and slow-burn romantic tale of two introverts falling in love, with a sprinkle of secret identity and literary charm. If you’re a fan of You’ve Got Mail, 27 Dresses, or any early 2000s rom-com, this one’s for you.

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Plot Overview (No Major Spoilers)

Lily Greene is a shy, bookish woman stuck in a job she doesn’t love. She dreams of becoming a children’s book editor but has been quietly stuck in the nonfiction division for years. When she starts emailing her favorite fantasy author, the connection she forms is deep, comforting, and surprisingly flirtatious. But just as things start to get real, he disappears.

Months later, Lily meets Nick Brown, her charming new neighbor who agrees to help her find a date for her sister’s wedding. Unbeknownst to Lily, Nick is actually the author she was emailing. What begins as a simple favor between neighbors slowly turns into something more tender and complicated.

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My Thoughts

Okay, let me be honest, I read The Love Lyric (book #3 in the Greene Sisters series) before The Neighbor Favor, not realizing it was a series. So I came to this book out of order. That said, reading Lily’s story after Iris’s still worked, and I found myself deeply connecting with Lily.

As the youngest sister in my own family, I totally related to Lily’s experience. That pressure to “catch up” to your accomplished siblings? That feeling that your family still sees you as “the baby” even in your late 20s or 30s? Yep, I’ve lived that. I also loved that Lily wasn’t forced into a “glow-up” to earn love,she was valued for her true, introverted, awkward, book-loving self.

Lily’s awkward charm and Nick’s thoughtful demeanor make them a couple you can’t help but root for. Their relationship felt cozy and real. I appreciated how slow and cautious their romance was,it fit who they are. Though the pacing dragged in some places, the emotional payoff made it worth it.

And that twist with Nick’s identity? It gave me classic rom-com nostalgia! The setup reminded me of those feel-good movies where the audience knows the secret, and we’re just waiting for the characters to catch up.

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Standouts and Not-So-Favorites

• Loved:

  • Lily’s quiet strength and love for books

  • The cozy, email-based beginnings of romance

  • A Black Woman navigating self-worth and career dreams

  • The bookish chemistry between Lily and Nick

• Less loved:

  • Some slow pacing that dragged mid-way

  • Violet Greene (sorry not sorry!)   she was giving major middle-child chaos energy. Her “F-Cheaters” anti-marriage party was hilarious, though. I’m curious to see where her story goes in The Partner Plot.

⭐ Final Rating: 

4 out of 5 stars

The Neighbor Favor is a soft, bookish romance perfect for introverts, bookworms, and anyone who’s ever crushed on someone who “gets them.” It’s gentle, sweet, and quietly romantic. If you’re into slow-burn love stories with real emotional stakes, this one belongs on your TBR.

Let me know what you think, Book Charmers! 📖✨

Have you read this one or any other books in the Greene Sisters series? Drop a comment or message—I’d love to chat about it!